May 13, 2011 Des Moines Register, Iowa Cubs split doubleheader http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110512/SPORTS1402/110512062/Iowa-Cubs-split- doubleheader Knoxville News Sentinel, Smokies hold off late Huntsville rally, 7-5 http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/may/12/smokies-hold-off-late-huntsville-rally-7-5/ DaytonaCubs.com, Bullpen fantastic, bats alive in extras http://daytona.cubs.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110513&content_id=19003652&vkey=news_t 450&fext=.jsp&sid=t450 Peoria Journal Star, Chiefs maintain solid home routine http://www.pjstar.com/sports/chiefs/x447610022/Chiefs-maintain-solid-home-routine -- Des Moines Register Iowa Cubs split doubleheader By: Staff Colorado Springs, Colo. — Iowa and Colorado Springs combined for 37 runs and 61 hits in131/2 innings Thursday. Colorado Springs won Game 1 of the Pacific Coast League doubleheader 11-5. Iowa held on for an 11-10 victory in the nightcap. Iowa scored three runs in the sixth inning of Game 1 to cut Colorado Springs’ lead to 6-5. Eliezer Alfonzo hit a three-run home run and Willy Taveras added a two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth for the Sky Sox. Iowa pitcher Jay Jackson fell to 1-2, giving up six earned runs on nine hits in five innings while striking out two batters. Former Dowling Catholic star Matt Macri was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for Colorado Springs. He struck out as a pinch-hitter in the nightcap. Macri’s batting average is .301 (28-for-93 in 29 games). In Game 2, Colorado Springs scored twice in the bottom of the seventh before Scott Maine held on for a shaky save. Bobby Scales was 5-for-5 for Iowa. The Cubs play at Colorado Springs again Friday at 7:05 p.m before traveling to Reno to play the Aces at 9:05 p.m. Saturday. -- Knoxville News Sentinel Smokies hold off late Huntsville rally, 7-5 By: Adam Greene SEVIERVILLE - The Tennessee Smokies shook off their ninth-inning loss Wednesday the best way possible. Facing nearly the same situation, the Smokies held off a late rally from Huntsville for a 7-5 win at Smokies Park on Thursday night. "Never a doubt after yesterday," Smokies manager Brian Harper joked after the game. "They (Huntsville) have some good hitters and they battled back. They're always in the game and had the heart of their order coming up in the ninth." Tennessee (20-14) retakes the lead in the Southern League North Division by one-half game over the Stars (19-14). The Smokies and Stars play the final game of their five-game series at 7:15 p.m. today at Smokies Park. Former Smokies starter Rafael Dolis was on the mound this time in the final inning. Dolis picked up his first save after giving up a wild pitch and a couple of walks to draw a game-ending double play off Huntsville's Steffan Wilson. "It was good to get that ground ball," Harper said. "That's the first time we've put Dolis in that situation." Tennessee never trailed in the game, taking a 1-0 lead in the second with a 388-foot solo shot over the right-field fence from Matt Spencer. After Huntsville tied the game in the third with a Sergio Miranda RBI double, Tennessee answered, with a two-run double from Ryan Flaherty. Flaherty finished the game 3- for-4 with two doubles and four RBIs. "Yesterday was a tough loss, and to bounce back and get the win was good for the team," Flaherty said. "He (Huntsville starter Jesus Sanchez) tried to come back in and I was fortunate to get it on the barrel and get it in the gap." Smokies starting pitcher Justin Whitenack (3-0) remains perfect in Class AA. Whitenack spread nine hits and three runs over six innings with one walk and two strikeouts. Whitenack helped himself out at the plate, picking up his first professional hit with an RBI double in the fourth inning. "He (Whitenack) made some good pitches and broke a lot of bats," Harper said. "He pitched inside well. For a young guy, he throws strikes and has good movement on the ball." Second baseman D.J. LeMahieu kept his 13-game hitting streak going with a 2-for-3 outing at the plate with an RBI. Notebook: Smokies catcher Steve Clevenger was promoted to the Class AAA Iowa Cubs on Thursday as part of the ripple effect from the placement of Chicago Cubs catcher Geovany Soto on the 15-day disabled list. In related roster moves, former Smokies catcher Wellington Castillo will join the Cubs to replace Soto, and Luis Flores comes to Tennessee from High-A Daytona to fill Clevenger's spot. After injuring a finger on his left hand Wednesday afternoon, Smokies outfielder Brett Jackson was placed on the disabled list. In a related move, Nelson Perez was promoted to Tennessee from Daytona. -- DaytonaCubs.com Bullpen fantastic, bats alive in extras The Cubs bullpen allowed one hit in six innings and Daytona plated four runs in the eleventh for win #25 By: Staff The Daytona Cubs scored four runs in the 11th inning on Thursday night at Roger Dean Stadium to defeat the Jupiter Hammerheads 6-2. In a 2-2 ballgame with one out in the 11th inning, 3B Jake Opitz looped an RBI double down the left field line to give Daytona the 3-2 edge. After C Mike Brenly was intentionally walked to load the bases for LF Logan Watkins, Watkins ripped the first offering from Graham Johnson to deep right field which hopped the fence and plated two runs. Daytona would add another run on a SS Junior Lake RBI single, increasing the score 6-2. Cubs' starting pitcher Jeff Lorick threw five complete innings for the first time in 2011. His off-speed pitches were on-point, and he did not allow an earned run all night (R). Out of the bullpen, Jordan Latham, Ryan Buchter and Ryan Searle allowed a combined one hit in six innings of work, keeping the Cubs in the game. Each of the Daytona Cubs in the lineup reached base at least once. Justin Bour now trails Jae-Hoon Ha by one RBI for the team lead (26). Ryan Searle improved to 1-2 with a 1.31 ERA with his victory. Each of the four Daytona pitchers struck out three Hammerheads. The Cubs will look to take the series tomorrow night behind RHP Aaron Kurcz. RHP Mike Montgomery will be his mound-foe with first pitch scheduled for 6:30. Tune in to all of the action on AM1230 WSBB, or at daytonacubs.com. -- Peoria Journal Star Chiefs maintain solid home routine Peoria lead from start to finish in 6-2 win over the Bees, cap 7-2 home stand By: Kevin Capie PEORIA — Thursday night’s 6-2 Peoria Chiefs victory over the Burlington Bees was just another game, very routine and never really in doubt. That it was just a routine game was a sign of the Chiefs being a good team this season. The Chiefs won the way good teams do with solid pitching, good defense and timely hitting. The other mark of good teams is that they take care of business at home. The Chiefs proved that adage correct, too. After playing most of April away from home, the Chiefs returned home and went 7-2 over a nine-game homestand, capped by taking two of the three games against first-place Burlington. “We were looking forward to getting back home and it showed up in the way we played,” Peoria manager Casey Kopitzke said. “We found our stride, and hopefully we can carry it through.” Starter Dallas Beeler went just three innings on Thursday due to a pitch count after being activated from the disabled list earlier in the day. He allowed three hits and struck out two. The Chiefs gave him a run to work with in the bottom of the inning after Pierre LePage and Rubi Silva singled. LePage scored on Greg Rohan’s sacrifice fly. “You can’t talk enough about getting a run early,” Beeler said. “It puts pressure on the other team to get the bats going.” Robinson Lopez worked five innings of piggyback relief to get his third win. It was far fom perfect with four hits and four walks allowed. But the Chiefs’ defense erased Burlington’s best chances. The Bees had leadoff base runners in the third and fourth eliminated with double plays. Burlington loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, but another twin killing ended the inning. “That’s kind of been our calling card, we bend but don’t break,” Kopitzke said. “(The pitchers) have confidence that they can get out of it.” LePage, Silva and Rohan paced Peoria’s offense from the top of the order. The trio went 5-for-14 with a walk and three runs scored. Rohan drove in three runs and LePage two. “When that leadoff guy is getting on base all the time it’s easy to score runs,” Rohan said. INSIDE PITCHES: The Chiefs outscored Clinton, Kane County and Burlington 34-17 over the nine games and only gave up more than two runs in a game twice — both of the losses, one to Clinton and one to Burlington. ... Because the Chiefs roster was at 24 players, one below the limit, they did not need to make a corresponding roster move in activating Beeler.