New Orleans - Matt Camp drove in Steve Clevenger for the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Iowa Cubs topped the New Orleans Zephyrs 5-4 Thursday night at Principal Park.


Clevenger hit a line drive up the middle to get on base with one out before Camp stepped to the plate.  Camp then lined one through the hole at shortstop to score the game-winning run.   


Trailing 4-3 in the ninth inning, Sam Fuld drove a 3-2 offering from New Orleans closer Nate Field into the right field corner for a one out double. Taguchi followed with a single into center field for his third RBI of the game, tying the score at 4-4.


Before Taguchi’s game-tying hit in the ninth, the Iowa bullpen was in danger of squandering a late-inning lead for the second consecutive game. Iowa starter Mitch Atkins took a no-hitter into the eighth inning Thursday. A soft line drive off the bat of New Orleans shortstop Andy Gonzalez leading off the eighth inning foiled Atkins’ bid for a no-hitter and jump-started a four-run Zephyr rally.


After Gonzalez reached, a fly ball lost in the lights by Iowa left fielder Jason Dubois fell for a double. Brett Hayes followed with a sacrifice fly to plate the first New Orleans run. A Gookie Dawkins RBI single scored New Orleans’ second run and chased Atkins.


Atkins was charged with three runs on three hits in 7.1 innings. The right-hander stuck out four, walked one, and hit one Zephyr batter while throwing 59 of his 91 pitches for strikes. His 7.1 innings matched a season high.


Justin Berg was summoned to protect a 3-2 Iowa lead, but the Zephyrs completed their comeback with an RBI single by Manuel Mayorson and a bases-loaded walk to pinch hitter David Matrenga for the Zephyrs to take a 4-3 lead in the eighth inning.


Taguchi helped give the Cubs a lead with RBIs in each of his first two at-bats. His double down the left field line in the third drove in Fuld to give the Cubs an early 1-0 lead. Two innings later, his sacrifice fly drove in Camp to give Iowa a 2-0 advantage.


Sam Fuld got hits in each of his first three at-bats and finished 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Thursday marked his 13th multi-hit game in his last 21 contests. Fuld is hitting .431 (31-for-72) in the month of June.


The Cubs (39-34) take on the Zephyrs (34-39) tomorrow night in the finale of their three-game series at Principal Park. Jeff Samardzija (4-3, 3.71) will take the ball for Iowa and right-hander Rick VandenHurk (3-0, 1.82) is scheduled to make the start for New Orleans. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05.

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