Game Notes for Sunday, May 17
TODAY'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and Oklahoma City Dodgers, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, play the second game of a four-game series today at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. This is the tenth game of the season between the two teams. Iowa is in second in the American Northern Division, 7.0 games behind Oklahoma City.
WAITING IT OUT: Oklahoma City's Austin Barnes swatted a two-out RBI-single off Iowa lefty Drake Britton in the bottom of the ninth inning last night to propel the Oklahoma City Dodgers to a 1-0 victory over the Iowa Cubs. The game was delayed for two hours and 19 minutes in the middle of the sixth inning due to weather. Before the delay, Carlos Pimentel stranded eight baserunners and kept Oklahoma City scoreless through 5.0 innings, allowing five hits and two walks. He struck out four. Dodgers starter Joe Wieland tossed just 67 pitches in 5.0 scoreless innings. The right-hander allowed just two hits and two walks and struck out two. He combined with four Dodgers relievers for the shutout. Right-hander Eury De La Rosa (2-0) tossed a scoreless top of the ninth to earn the win for Oklahoma City. Iowa committed three errors in the loss, including Javy Baez's throwing error as the Cubs attempted to turn two to end the ninth inning.
ANDREOLé: John Andreoli currently leads the I-Cubs in runs (21), hits (27), doubles (7), triples (3), total bases (43), walks (18), stolen bases (15) and on-base percentage (.414). Andreoli's 15 steals are also good for second in the PCL. He is fourth in the league in OBP.
SHORT HOPS: John Andreoli has swiped 11 bases in his last 11 games. ... Arismendy Alcantara and Andreoli are tied for second in the league with three triples. Alcantara led the PCL in that category in 2014. ... Right-hander Donn Roach is fourth in the PCL with 44.1 IP. ... After last night's loss, Iowa has now been shutout five times in 2015. ... third baseman Christian Villanueva has nine errors, the most among all players in the PCL. ... Iowa has committed 36 errors this season, tied for second-most in the league. ... Iowa is tied for last in the league with a .973 fielding percentage... Iowa is last in the PCL with a .148 defensive caught stealing percentage. The I-Cubs have only caught four of 27 would-be basestealers. ... Iowa has turned 41 double plays this season, second in the PCL behind New Orleans' 44.
VS. OKLAHOMA CITY: This is the second game of a four-game series between the Cubs and Dodgers and the tenth of 16 scheduled games in the season series. OKC took seven of the first eight games between the two clubs, winning two series at Principal Park 3-1, and taking game one of this series last night. The Cubs head to Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark again August 31-September 3. Last year, the Cubs won the season series 10-6, going 6-2 at Principal Park and 4-4 on the road. The Cubs lead the all-time PCL series 127-119. Iowa is 80-100 all-time against Dodgers Triple-A affiliates.
GOING FOR QUALITY: Iowa had just four quality starts in 18 April games. So far in May, the Cubs have spun nine in 19 contests. Righty Donn Roach leads the team with six quality starts. Left-hander Eric Jokisch has three. Left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada and right-hander Carlos Pimentel each have two quality starts apiece. Pimentel just missed his third quality start last night, lasting 5.0 innings before exiting after 80 pitches due to a 2:19 weather delay.
HARBINGERS: The Iowa Cubs have success when...Iowa's starter pitches 6.0 or more innings (9-4)...Iowa scores first (11-3)...Iowa hits a home run (12-5)...Iowa doesn't commit an error (12-4)...Iowa scores four or more runs (12-4)...Iowa scores 10 or more runs (3-0)...they play on Sundays (3-1).
PITCH PERFECT: The Iowa Cubs pitching staff has been superb in May. The staff has a 2.46 ERA through 16 games, with 112 strikeouts and just 53 walks. The improvement has vaulted the staff to third in the league with a 3.39 team ERA, behind only Oklahoma City (3.34) and New Orleans (2.91).
TOUGH BREAKS: Chris Valaika is 0-for-9 over his last three games with a walk and a strikeout...utility-man Jonathan Mota is hitless in his last four games (0-for-9)...Mike Baxter is currently on a 2-for-19 slide. He has two walks and an RBI in that time.
TRANSACTIONS: The Chicago Cubs made a series of roster moves this weekend that affect Iowa's active roster for today's game. Outfielder Matt Szczur was optioned to Iowa Saturday and is active today. Furthermore, left-hander Tyler Ihrig was reassigned to Double-A Tennessee.