Rob Zastryzny carried Iowa through six shutout innings and the I-Cubs (50-66) took the series opener from the Oklahoma City Dodgers (63-51) 6-4, Sunday at Principal Park. Albert Almora Jr. notched three hits and scored twice to lead the Iowa offense.
John Andreoli led off the game with a single to ignite a three-run first for Iowa. Iowa packed the bags after Logan Watkins walked and Almora Jr. drilled a single of his own. The first run was plated on a groundout from Tim Federowicz and the second on a balk from pitcher Lisalverto Bonilla. Bijan Rademacher capped the effort with an RBI single.
Zastryzny (6-3) carried the game from there, throwing six scoreless frames and allowing just two hits and striking out five. The lefty has not allowed an earned run in his last 15.0 innings.
Iowa loaded the bags again in the sixth with no outs. Rademacher added his second RBI of the night with a lazy sacrifice fly to left field. An error on the play helped Iowa plate one additional run. Kristopher Negrón then delivered with a single to bring in the third run of the inning.
Oklahoma City broke the shutout in the seventh with an RBI single from Yasiel Puig to make the score 6-1 in favor of Iowa.
Iowa let the Dodgers creep back into the game in the ninth. Gerardo Concepcion took over on the mound and walked the first three batters he face to get quickly chased from the game. Spencer Patton took over and a two-RBI double from Puig and a single from Zach Walters pulled Oklahoma City within two. That would end the comeback effort as Iowa shut the door and captured the win.
Iowa continues the series with Oklahoma City at 7:08 p.m., Monday at Principal Park.