Big offensive totals have been common for the Iowa Cubs in recent weeks.
Two runs would be all they would need Sunday as the team's pitching staff, led by Jeff Samardzija, shut down Nashville in a 2-1 Pacific Coast League win at Principal Park.
Sunday was just the second time in the last 24 games Iowa scored less than three runs in a game in front of 7,076 fans.
Samardzija pitched six innings and matched his season-high with nine strikeouts, while retiring eight batters in a row from the third to fifth innings.
Samardzija, who allowed Nashville's two hits, Hector Carrasco and Michael Wuertz, who earned the save, combined to fan 12.
"They deserve credit for today," said Iowa infielder Casey McGehee, who hit a solo home run in the fourth inning. "They had two hits in nine innings in a tight game. It wasn't like they had a lot of easy innings or pressure-free innings."
Iowa also won the three-game series with Nashville 2-1, meaning the last time Iowa (62-41) lost a series was a sweep at Round Rock May 15-18. The I-Cubs have won or split 15-straight series since then and haven't lost more than two in a row in the 70 games since.
"The atmosphere in the clubhouse is good and we have a good bunch of guys playing really good," Iowa outfielder Andres Torres said. "That's all you can do is just play hard and good things will happen."
Torres opened the game with a leadoff homer, his 10th of the season.
McGehee gave Iowa a 2-0 lead. His shot went long to right field but bounced back onto the field as he advanced to third base.
Iowa manager Pat Listach then spoke with first-base umpire John Coons, who conferred with his colleagues and ruled McGehee's hit a home run.
"I was running," McGehee said. "I was just going off of Pat. I probably had the worst look out of anybody on the field. I'm glad they turned it around and gave it to us."
Iowa has today off before an eight-game road trip in Tucson and Las Vegas.
The I-Cubs entered Sunday's games with a five-game lead in the American North Division.
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