Down on the Farm: Chris Valaika powers Iowa Cubs to 8-3 win

Game 1 of the double-header saw the Cubs score four runs during the bottom of the third inning thanks to a string of hits by Marco Hernandez, Bijan Rademacher and Albert Almora who picked up RBI singles.

It was 3-0 Cubs until Jeimer Candelario made sacrifice fly to right field scored Pin-Chieh Chen for another run. Clearwater would fight back during the fourth, fifth and sixth innings of the ball game as they were able to plate four unanswered runs to tie the ballgame.

Pitcher Yao-Lin Wang (0-5, 6.11 ERA) started on the mound for the Cubs, looking for his first win of the season. Wang made it through 4 1/3 innings before Andrew McKirahan entered in relief. Wang allowed three earned runs on three hits while issuing two walks and fanning one. McKirahan made it through 1 1/3 innings before the game was called after seven innings.

Dan Vogelbach hit a solo home run to right for a 6-5 Cubs’ lead in the sixth.

Winning pitcher: Andrew McKiranhan (1-1, 1.16 ERA), Losing pitcher: Lee Ridenhour (1-4, 6.00 ERA).

Game 2 Final Score: Cubs 8, Threshers 4.

Cubs scored eight runs across the bottom of the first and second inning after allowing the Threshers to strike first. Daytona would be unable to plate anymore runs during the rest of another short ballgame. Zeke DeVoss, Dan Vogelbach and Jeimer Candelario all homered during the bottom of the first inning. Bijan Rademacher plated an RBI during the bottom of the second on a double to right field to make it 5-1 Daytona. Candelario also doubled to right field to make it 8-1 during the same inning.

Starling Peralta (2-0, 3.03 ERA) took the mound for Daytona in Game 2 – allowing four hits, two earned runs while striking out five. He was later replaced by Michael Jensen (2/3 innings) and Zack Godley (1 1/3 innings) to finished another shortened game.

Winning pitcher for the double-header sweep is Starling Peralta (2-0, 3.03 ERA) losing pitcher is Luis Paulino (0-1, 5.25 ERA).

Cubs improve to 18-28