Game Notes for Sunday, June 22

TODAY'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and Albuquerque Isotopes play game two of a four-game series. The Isotopes are the Pacific Coast League affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. This is the sixth game of an eight-game homestand for the Cubs. The Cubs are 3-2 on this home stand after going 3-1 in the first series against El Paso.

SHOOTING BLANKS: The Isotopes used five different pitchers to blank the Cubs 4-0 last night in the series opener between these two clubs. Starter Carlos Frias (5-4) walked four, but struck out seven in five innings to earn the win. Yimi Garcia pitched two scoreless innings and struck out three. The Cubs have been shut out a league-high seven times this season, including five times at Principal Park. The Cubs tied a franchise record, and led the league, by getting shut out 14 times last season. The Cubs were blanked just twice at home last year.

JOIN A SUPPORT GROUP: LH Chris Rusin allowed four runs on nine hits in 6.1 innings last night and suffered his league-leading 10th loss of the season. Rusin (4-10) has figured in the decision in each of his starts this year. Cubs' starters have earned a decision in 23 straight games. Last night marked the second time that the Cubs have been shut out in one of Rusin's starts this year and the team has scored a total of five runs in his last five outings. The Cubs have scored three runs or less in 12 of his 14 games this year and one or zero runs in six games.

STRANDED: The Cubs left a season-high 12 men on base last night, including 10 in scoring position. The Cubs were just 2-for-11 batting with runners in scoring position last night. For the season, the Cubs are batting .261 (152-for-582) with runners in scoring position which is better than their league-low .239 (565-for-2361) team average for the year.

DA, DO, RUN RUN: 2B Arismendy Alcantara walked in the fifth inning last night before stealing both second and third bases. C Welington Castillo swiped second behind Alcantara on a double steal. Alcantara has stolen two bases in a game three times this year and leads the team with 16 steals in 19 attempts. The Cubs have a streak of at least one stolen base in 14 straight games with a total of 24 steals in this stretch. The Cubs are second in the league with 71 stolen bases this season. Omaha leads the league with 79.

VS. ALBUQUERQUE: The Isotopes lead this series 1-0. This is the only scheduled series between these two teams this season. The Cubs and Isotopes have played each other 16 times each year going back to 2003, but the 'Topes were moved to the Pacific Conference this season in the PCL's realignment to adjust for Tucson moving to El Paso. Last year, the Isotopes won the season series 11-5, including a 5-3 mark at Principal Park. The Cubs are 9-23 against the 'Topes the last two years. Albuquerque is 119-106 against the Cubs all-time, including their years as the Albuquerque Dukes (1998-00). The Cubs are 62-51 against Albuquerque all-time at Principal Park.

ON THE MEND: C Welington Castillo was on base four times last night, going 2-for-3 with two walks and caught all nine innings for the second straight game on his Major League rehab assignment. Castillo has been on the parent club's disabled list since June 2 with inflammation in his left rib cage. He was batting .242 (39-for-161) with eight doubles, five home runs, and 21 RBI in 43 games with Chicago this year.

LINE LEADER: 2B Arismendy Alcantara has reached base safely in 16 of his last 17 games and is batting .339 (21-for-62) with four doubles, two triples, a home run, 16 runs scored, and three RBI during this stretch. He has batted leadoff in each of his last 13 starts and has scored 15 runs in 17 games out of the leadoff spot for the year. Alcantara is tied for third in the league with 35 extra-base hits this year, including a league-best nine triples.

LEARNING ON THE FLY: SS Javy Baez struck out three times last night and is third in the league with 89 strikeouts in 235 at-bats this year. Last night was the 11th time this season that Baez has fanned three times in a game. Albuquerque's Joc Pederson (rated the top prospect in the Dodgers system) leads the PCL with 93 strikeouts in 266 at-bats.

THE KILLER V'S: LF Josh Vitters and IF Chris Valaika both doubled last night. Vitters has hit safely in eight of his last 10 games, batting .368 (14-for-38) during this stretch. Valaika has hit safely in 15 of 19 games in June and is batting .317 (19-for-60) with three doubles, two home runs, and seven RBI this month.