TODAY’S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and the Syracuse Mets play the second of their six-game series today at NBT Bank Stadium...the I-Cubs will send left-hander Thomas Pannone to the mound, vs. right-handed pitcher Mike Vasil.
LAST NIGHT’S NEWS: The I-Cubs dropped the first game of the series last night at
TODAY’S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and the Syracuse Mets play the second of their six-game series today at NBT Bank Stadium...the I-Cubs will send left-hander Thomas Pannone to the mound, vs. right-handed pitcher Mike Vasil.
LAST NIGHT’S NEWS: The I-Cubs dropped the first game of the series last night at Syracuse by a 8-7 score...Iowa entered the ninth inning down four runs but scored three runs in the frame on a home run from Brennen Davis, Darius Hill scoring on an error, and Alexander Canario driving in a run with a single...David Bote grounded out with a runner on third to end the game as the comeback attempt fell just short.
THAT’S GRAND: Iowa outfielder Alexander Canario went 2-for-4 last night with a home run and five RBI...the home run was a grand slam in the fifth inning off Max Kranick...it marked the first grand slam by an I-Cub this season and first since Pete Crow-Armstrong on Sept. 5, 2023 vs. Omaha...Canario’s five RBI were a season high and tied for the most by an Iowa player this season following Brennen Davis on May 10 vs. Columbus and were his most since Sept. 19, 2023 with the Cubs.
RISE AND SHINE: Today’s 10:05 a.m. CT scheduled first pitch is the earliest game the I-Cubs play this season, with the next closest being an 11:05 a.m. first pitch on June 12 at Columbus...Iowa played one game last year with a 10:05 a.m. first pitch at Indianapolis on May 18 in which they fell by a 10-5 score.
BIG B: Brennen Davis went 1-for-4 last night with his only hit being a home run...he has hit three home runs in his last four games and has homered in back-to-back games for the first time since July 17-18, 2021 with Double-A Tennessee...Davis also went 3-for-5 with a homer and five RBI on May 10 vs. Columbus...the five RBI matched a career high (last - July 21, 2021 at Rocket City)...he began the year on the injured list and played in his first game with the I-Cubs this season on April 24 at Buffalo in which he tallied his first longball of the season.
PANNONE ON THE MOUND: Thomas Pannone is slated to make his ninth start of the year for Iowa...the 30-year-old ranks among International League leaders in starts (T-1st, 8), ERA (5th, 2.63), WHIP (8th, 1.17) and innings pitched (10th, 41.0)... in his last start on May 9 vs. Columbus, Thomas made the first quality start of the season by an I-Cub in which he pitched 6.0 innings of one-run ball and matched a season high with seven strikeouts...he has gone 3-0 with a 2.35 ERA (6 ER in 23.0 IP) vs. Syracuse in three career starts and has gone 1-1 with a 1.20 ERA (2 ER in 15.0 IP) on the road this season, which is the third- best road ERA in the International League.
WALK THIS WAY: Owen Caissie and Curt Casali each walked three times Friday night, which matched the most by an I-Cub this season...it marked the fifth multi-walk game of the season for Caissie and gave him 29 on the season, which ranks fourth-most in the International League and is fifth-most among minor leaguers aged 21-or-younger, trailing Carter Jensen (33)...from April 25-May 2, Owen walked in eight consecutive games, which is the second-longest such streak in the International League this season and the longest by an I-Cub since Chase Strumpf also walked in eight straight games from Aug. 31-Sept 12, 2023.
VS. SYRACUSE: Iowa and Syracuse are playing their first ever series against each other...the I-Cubs have played a series against just one opponent from the International League East Division as they traveled to Buffalo and played a six-game set from April 23-28 in which they lost four of the six games.
McWILLIAMS IN RELIEF: Iowa pitcher Sam McWilliams earned his second win Friday night as he tossed 2.0 scoreless innings...McWilliams also pitched on Sunday and struck out the side in order in the only frame he worked...Sam has made 11 outings for the I-Cubs and has gone 0-2 with a 12.96 ERA (12 ER in 8.1 IP) in three starts and 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA (5 ER in 17.2 IP) as a reliever...among pitchers with at least 10 appearances, his 41 strikeouts lead the International League and rank tied for ninth overall.
