Iowa Comeback Disappoints, Indianapolis Wipes Them Off the Floor

July 28, 2024 – International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs Press Release

DES MOINES, IA – The Iowa Cubs (43-59) trailed 9-3 in the ninth inning, but scored five runs to cut the lead to 9-8 before falling to the Indianapolis Indians (46-52).

The home team got the bases loaded with no outs. Fabian Pertuz walked, Cole Roederer singled to right and Darius Hill grounded out what at first looked like a 4-6-3 double play, but Indy shortstop Liover Peguero dropped the ball while covering second base and everyone was safe.

Then, pinch-hitter for Caleb Knight, Moises Ballesteros hit a 426-foot grand slam to dead center on the third pitch he saw to make it 9-7. It was his fifth Triple-A big fly and his first at Principal Park.

Two batters later, Trayce Thompson hit a solo shot for the I-Cubs’ second home run of the inning, pulling them within one. Iowa eventually put the tying run on second and the winning run on first with two outs, but the I-Cubs came up just short.

Owen Caissie gave Iowa a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning with a run-scoring single. Indianapolis responded with a nine-run sixth inning, highlighted by solo homers by Malcolm Nuñez and Henry Davis, to give Indy a 9-1 lead.

Pertuz cut Indianapolis’ lead to 9-3 with a two-run home run in the seventh inning.

Caleb Kilian threw 3.0 scoreless innings as a reliever during a Major League rehab assignment.

POST-GAME NOTES:

– The I-Cubs won six games for the first time since May 25-30, 2021 against St. Paul.

– Fabian Pertuz has hit two home runs in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.

– Moises Ballesteros hit Iowa’s first grand slam since June 4 against Toledo (Owen Caissie).

– Iowa’s pitching staff has given up at least 10 hits in six consecutive games for the first time since June 29-July 4, 2022.

Iowa plays St. Paul on Tuesday for the first of a six-game series, with first pitch from Principal Park scheduled for 6:38 p.m. You can listen to every Iowa Cubs game on Hope AM940 and stream every home game for free on the Bally Live app. For more information and tickets, visit www.iowacubs.com.

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