It took the Columbus Clippers and Iowa Cubs three days to finally get their series under way in Des Moines. On Thursday, they split a doubleheader. On Friday, they played a single game. The Cubs took a 4-1 lead into the sixth inning when the Clippers fired back to get within a run, but could score no more and fell, 4-3.

Columbus started the scoring in the second inning. Myles Straw hit a solo home run, his second long ball of the season. The Cubs scored twice in the second and twice in the third. All four of their runs came against Clippers’ starter Logan Allen (3-1), who was charged with his first loss of the season.  

The Columbus sixth-inning rally came on two extra-base hits. With one out, Kyle Manzardo doubled. He came home one batter later when Johnathan Rodriguez hit his team-leading 18th home run of the season. 

Starter Brandon Birdsell (2-4) picked up the win for Iowa, giving up three runs on six hits in his 5.2 innings of work. He walked two and struck out six. Jack Neely fanned the three batters he faced in the ninth to earn his third save of the season. Neither Connor Gillispie nor Franco Aleman allowed any runs in relief for the Clippers.

The teams will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 5:38 p.m. at Principal Park in Des Moines. The first game will make up for the postponed contest set for Wednesday that could not be played because of wet grounds.