Cubs Minor League News: Power outage ends game between I-Cubs and Bats |
With just two games remaining in the AAA season, there isn't much for Iowa to play for other than pride. When you look at the overall record of this team and where they are in the standings, you would think that this team would be well on their way to the playoffs. After all, they are hovering around 20 games above .500 and have been either first or second most of the year in their division.
Unfortunately, due to the new AAA playoff format, not only will Iowa miss the playoffs, but no one from the Cubs division will get into the dance as both first and second-half Champs hail from the Eastern Division. In what will be the final day Iowa is the center of attention. However, this wouldn't go down as a win or a loss, as this will be a suspended contest with the Bats leading 3-2 in the seventh. Ironically, it wasn't rain or anything like that that forced the suspension of this game, but instead, a power outage as this game was called after six innings. As expected, it was another bullpen game for Marty Peavey and his group as he called on Shane Greene to make his final start of the season. Greene has primarily been a reliever most of his career, but has been starting as an opener for the past two months. Greene continued to do his thing on the mound as he gave the Cubs three scoreless frames to lower his ERA to 1.75 as Tyler Duffey and a cast of relievers followed suit. Ben Brown and Michael Rucker also saw time on the mound, but it was a rough outing from Brown that did the Cubs in as they fell 3-2. Opposing Greene and the Cubs was Lyon Richardson, who gave his team three scoreless frames before his night ended. Not only were runs at a premium early for both teams, but the Iowa offense couldn't even hit the ball as they were held hitless through four. The same can't be said for Louisville, who put a pair of runners on base in the first only to come away empty-handed. The Bats continued to keep the pressure on Greene and the Cubs in the second inning as a pair of walks mixed with a hit by pitch loaded the bases, but once again, Greene managed to escape without damage. Walks continued to play a role for both teams in the early going as the lone baserunners of the game up to this point for the Cubs came on walks. With the score still deadlocked 0-0 entering the fifth, it was time for the Cubs to go back to their pen as they called on Brown to take over. Arguably the team's best pitcher the first few months, Brown dealt with a late-season injury and then was moved to an unfamiliar role as a reliever. Some players can handle a change like that, but Brown has struggled, and after allowing a leadoff single to Jacob Hurtubise and a one-out walk to Alejo Lopez, the Cubs were in trouble once again. Looking to escape trouble for the third time in five innings, the Bats kept the pressure on Brown with a double steal, but the Jose Barrero double broke a scoreless tie and put the Bats in front 2-0. Barrero would come around to score on a Matt Reynolds later in the inning as Iowa was now trailing 3-0. It may have taken six innings for the Cubs to score, but once they did, you sensed that the momentum was starting to shift. Even though the offense still didn't have a hit, walks to Levi Jordan and Yonathan Perlaza to start the inning gave the Cubs hope, as they had two runners on with no outs. Following a flyout to put runners on the corners, Matt Mervis brought home the Cubs first run of the game as his sacrifice fly made things 3-1. Immediately following that sacrifice fly, you had David Bote come through with a single for the Cubs first and only hit while an error allowed Perlaza to come home and pulled the Cubs within 3-2. That is where things would end as a power outage with two outs in the seventh inning, which saw this game get delayed and wouldn't be resumed.
