Tommy Birch

tbirch@dmreg.com

A wild pitch helped cap off a wacky and even wilder Iowa Cubs game Sunday.

The Cubs overcame an eight-run deficit, stunned an announced crowd of 4,238 fans, and celebrated a crazy Pacific Coast League 12-11 win over Nashville at Principal Park.

"It was pretty nuts," Iowa manager Marty Pevey said. "I can't even explain it. It was just unbelievable. I don't even know what to say."

Most that saw it were speechless after they watched the Cubs dig out of an early hole that almost looked too big to climb out of after falling behind 5-0 before the first out was tallied.

Iowa , which trailed by eight in the second inning, appeared to be on its way to a third-straight loss when it fell behind 11-4 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. That's when things suddenly began to change as the Cubs sent eight hitters to plate and scored five runs, and came within striking distance.

Iowa cut the lead to 11-10 when Lars Anderson drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth inning. Two batters later, Nashville reliever Donovan Hand uncorked a wild pitch that allowed the tying and go-ahead runs to score.

Matt Szczur scored from third base and Javier Baez, who was on second, scored the go-ahead run when he noticed no one was covering the plate.

"I kept going," Baez said.

The heads up play was the final turning point in a long-winded day that began with a 57-minute delay due to weather conditions and ended in celebration.

Baez finished 0-for-4 with an error but still managed to deliver one of the biggest, most heads up plays of the game.

"He has great instincts," Pevey said. "He's such a gamer when the game's on the line."

Chris Valaika went 3-for-4 while Anderson went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs.

Iowa starter Dallas Beeler lasted just 3 innings — surrendering 10 runs (eight earned) on 10 hits. Beeler committed two of Iowa's four errors to help the Cubs build up the early deficit.

Cubs right-hander Carlos Pimentel helped control the damage allowing just one unearned run in four innings of relief.

Despite all the troubles, they somehow found a way to finish off what is believed to be the team's biggest come-from-behind victory since Sept. 1, 2010, when the Cubs, who trailed 9-1 after four innings, rallied for nine runs in the top of the ninth inning to win at Albuquerque 15-13.

Sunday's game was nearly as exciting.

"That was unbelievable," Valaika said. "It started off probably not the best we could play but we grinded the whole way. We stayed in it and good things happened."

Pevey said he hoped Sunday would be a Cubs' momentum-changer.

"Hopefully it invigorates the clubhouse," Pevey said.