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Game Notes - 6.16.17 at Nashville Sounds

(Dylan Heuer)
June 16, 2017

Iowa Cubs (28-39) at Nashville Sounds (33-31)RHP Zach Hedges (0-0, -.--) vs. LHP Felix Doubront (0-0, 4.15)7:05 p.m. | First Tennessee Park | Nashville, TN

Iowa Cubs (28-39) at Nashville Sounds (33-31)
RHP Zach Hedges (0-0, -.--) vs. LHP Felix Doubront (0-0, 4.15)
7:05 p.m. | First Tennessee Park | Nashville, TN


TONIGHT'S GAME: Iowa and Nashville finish off a four-game series tonight at First Tennessee Park. The I-Cubs have taken two of the first three games of the series, clinching at least a series tie by winning games one and three in comeback fashion. With a win tonight, Iowa would have its first series victory since taking three out of four from Las Vegas at Cashman Field on May 15-18.
A SERIES OF COMEBACKS: The I-Cubs recorded their fifth comeback win of the season last night and second of the series. Iowa trailed 1-0 last night, before scoring three runs in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead and eventually winning, 4-2. On Tuesday night in Nashville, the I-Cubs overcame a four-run deficit and won for the first time since August 6, 2015 vs. Omaha. It is the first time that Iowa has recorded multiple comeback victories in the same series since they came back against Las Vegas on May 16 and May 18, overcoming 7-5 and 5-2 deficits to win, 8-7 and 6-5, respectively.
WHAT'S OUR VECTOR, VICTOR: Catcher/first baseman Victor Caratini went 1-for-3 with a walk and a two-run double that gave the I-Cubs a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning. Caratini's .333 batting average is eighth-best in the PCL, and leads the I-Cubs in RBI (44) and multi-RBI games (11). As a catcher this season, he's hitting .297 (38-for-128) with four home runs and 21 RBI and as a first baseman he is hitting .400 (32-for-80) with two homers and 23 RBI.
300 RUNS: Iowa has scored 299 runs this season through the team's first 67 games. The 299 runs rank 13th in the PCL. Last season, the I-Cubs scored their 300th run in the team's 59th game of the season on June 11 vs. Round Rock. John Andreoli scored the team's 300th run of 2016 on a David Freitas double in the fifth inning against the Express. 
FRESH ERROR: An error by third baseman Chris Dominguez cost the I-Cubs a run in the sixth inning, handing reliever Manny Parra an unearned run. The error snapped a season-long streak of five games without an error for Iowa. Last night was the first time the I-Cubs committed an error and still won the game since June 3 vs. Nashville when Iowa won 5-1 despite a Jeimer Candelario error.
AGAINST NASHVILLE: The Sounds took the first meeting of the year against Iowa, winning the series 3-1. Nashville pitching, leading the league with a 3.43 ERA, held Iowa to a .210 team average and a .269 on-base percentage. Iowa has dropped seven of the last 11 meetings between the two teams. If Iowa wins on tonight, the club will have its first series victory over Nashville since June 22-24, 2016.
BULLPEN SHINES: Iowa relievers Dylan Floro, Zac Rosscup and Pierce Johnson combined to throw four scoreless innings of relief last night. After starter Williams Pérez and reliever Manny Parra each gave up a run, Floro, Rosscup and Johnson combined to walk one and strike out four, recording the final 12 outs to defeat the Sounds. Johnson recorded his sixth save of the year, and first since May 22 vs. Tacoma.
SERIES STRUGGLES: The I-Cubs clinched at least a series tie with Nashville after Thursday night's 4-2 win. Iowa owns a 3-8-5 series record coming into this series, 1-5-2 in eight home series and 2-3-3 in eight road series. With a win tonight, Iowa will win its fourth series of the season. In 2016, Iowa won its fourth series of the year on May 9, taking three of four against the Omaha Storm Chasers at Werner Park.
WALK LIKE A MAN:Mark Zagunis went 1-for-2 with an RBI double and a pair of walks on Thursday. He raised his league-leading walk total to 44 walks on the season, six more than second-place Carlos Asuaje of El Paso. Zagunis has a chance to become the seventh I-Cubs player all-time to lead the league in walks, and the first since Steve Smyth led the league in 2003 with 72 walks.
AVOIDING Y2K: Right-hander Williams Perez (1-7, 6.86) had one of his best starts of the season yesterday, earning his first win of 2017. With his win, he avoided becoming the first I-Cubs pitcher to start the season 0-8 since left-hander Brian McNichol started 0-8 in 2000.
SHORT HOPS: Last night, Iowa played in its first two-run game since May 30, improving its record in two-run games to 5-4. Only CSP and REN have played in fewer two-run games in the PCL this year...Jacob Hannemann is 4-for-11 in his last three games after going hitless in his previous four.