It’s not often that a player hits three home runs in one game and he’s not the top story. It’s even less often that a guy with 21 career home runs in over 3000 minor league at-bats hits three home runs and he’s not the top story, but that’s where we’re at tonight.
Also, the wind was blowing out at Principal Park.
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs stopped the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 10-3. The win snaps Iowa’s eight-game losing streak.
Iowa starter Adbert Alzolay dominated the Storm Chasers for seven innings tonight. For the second time in his three Triple-A starts, Alzolay did not allow a hit through the first five innings. The no-hitter was broken up on an infield single in the sixth inning by Adalberto Mondesi.
The final line on Alzolay was no runs on one hit over seven innings. He struck out six and walked two. Alzolay threw 80 pitches, 57 for strikes.
Here’s him striking out Paolo Orlando, the final batter he faced.
Alzolay left with a 4-0 lead and the I-Cubs almost blew it. First, Omaha loaded the bases with one out on a pop fly to shallow left-center that three Iowa fielders all thought the other ones were going to get, After Anthony Bass got a strikeout for the second out of the inning, he then got Ramon Torres to hit an easy fly ball to left field that Bijan Rademacher “Brant Brown’d” for a two-run, two base error. Then manager Marty Pevey called on Dillon Maples to get out of the inning and Maples threw a wild pitch to make the score 4-3. However, Maples then struck out Hunter Dozier for the final out of the inning.
Iowa then scored six runs in the top of the inning and Maples pitched the bottom of the inning for the save. The final line on Maples was no runs and no hits over 1.1 innings. He walked two and struck out three.
Shortstop Mike Freeman hit his first, second and third home run of the season tonight. The first one was a solo home run in the third inning. The second one was a solo home run in the seventh and the third one was a three-run blast to dead center field in the bottom of the eighth that put the game out of reach. Freeman was 3 for 5 with five RBI.
Here’s Freeman’s third blast.
There were two other Iowa home runs tonight. Right fielder Mark Zagunis hit a solo home run in the fourth inning. It was his second home run this year and he was 2 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored. Catcher Taylor Davis crushed a home run to left with a man on in the second inning to give Iowa a 6-3 lead. It was his first home run this year. Davis was 1 for 4.
Center fielder Jacob Hannemann and third baseman Chesny Young were both 2 for 4 with one run scored and one RBI.
Tennessee Smokies
The Tennessee Smokies were extinguished by the Chattanooga Lookouts (Twins), 4-3.
Smokies starter Michael Rucker went five innings and surrendered two runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out four.
Zach Hedges has been very good for the Smokies since he was demoted from Iowa. Today he had three scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit. He struck out two and did not walk anyone.
Hedges was in line for the win when the Smokies scored in the top of the ninth, but James Norwood came on for the save and gave up a walkoff two-run double. Norwood pitched a third of an inning and allowed two runs on two hits and a walk. He did not strike anyone out.
Second baseman (!?!) Jason Vosler was 2 for 4 with a double and one run scored. It was the first game that Vosler started at second base since 2014, his first year in pro ball.
First baseman Yasiel Balaguert was 2 for 3 and was hit by a pitch.
Myrtle Beach Pelicans
Off-day
South Bend Cubs
Off-day.