Although Iowa battered Sky Sox pitchers in record fashion in the series, Josh Fogg and three relievers did the job Friday and salvaged an unlikely split with their tormentors.

Colorado Springs jumped ahead early and held on to beat the Iowa Cubs 8-4 before 5,027 appreciative fans at Security Service Field.

“It didn’t even feel like a split the way they beat us the last two days,” said outfielder Matt Miller, who had a home run and double.

The series opened Tuesday with a dramatic Sky Sox rally for a 16-15 win in 10 innings. Iowa retaliated with 18-4 and 17-4 wins and needed only five runs and nine hits Friday to tie the record for the most allowed in a four-game series by Sky Sox pitchers.

The Cubs tied the record for hits and were one shy in runs while pounding 10 homers and 28 extra-base hits. Nashville set the records for runs (55) and hits (75) in Colorado Springs in 2000.

“It was important (to win),” said 37-year-old catcher Sal Fasano, “because a series like this, if they beat the tar out of the ball again, it might’ve damaged some guys in here.”

Fasano slugged a three-run homer in the fifth to put the Sky Sox up 7-0.

“I was looking for a ball up in the zone and he obliged,” Fasano said. “Winning this game speaks to the resiliency of our club.”Fogg (3-1), a 32-year-old veteran with a 62-67 major league record, made the difference, manager Tom Runnells said.

“For him to shut them out for the first five innings was phenomenal the way they’ve been hitting,” said Runnells, who saw Iowa score in 21 of 28 innings in the first three games. “That was the ballgame for me.”

The game ended with Cubs slugger Jake Fox on deck. Fox had a two-run homer in the sixth against Fogg and leads the Pacific Coast League with 16 homers and 46 RBIs.

“It felt like a one-run game, especially with that guy on deck,” Miller said.

Steven Register got Doug Deeds, who had homered in the eighth, to fly out to left for the final out.

“I can’t handle any more series like this,” Runnells said. “I’m still numb after the way they hit the ball.”

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