The Iowa Cubs were broadsided by the Columbus Clippers (Guardians), 4-3.
Iowa scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and then didn’t score again. First, left fielder Justin Dean walked to lead off the bottom of the inning. He then stole second, went to third on a bad throw and scored on a fielder’s choice by first baseman Jonathon Long.
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Two batters later, right fielder Kevin Alcántara did this.
The two-run home run went 393 feet and came on a slider from a right-hander that drifted outside the zone.
The I-Cubs got a good 3.1 innings from starter Will Sanders. Sanders gave up one run on a solo home run by Petey Halpin but nothing else. The final line on Sanders was one run on five hits over 3.1 innings. He struck out six and walked just one.
Luke Little relieved Sanders. He did not allow a run or a hit over 1.1 innings. He did walk two while striking out one.
Meanwhile, Iowa only had three hits after the first inning. One of them was this double by center fielder Brett Bateman.
Columbus got one run in each of the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to lose the game. Ethan Roberts gave up a run in the seventh and Yacksel Rios allowed a run in the eighth and ninth to blow the save and take the loss. The final line on Rios was two runs on four hits and three walks over two innings. He struck out one.
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Alcántara was 1 for 4 with the two-run home run. Bateman was 1 for 3 with a double and a steal.