Game Notes - 7.16.17 at Colorado Springs

Iowa Cubs (42-48) at Colorado Spring Sky Sox (55-34)
G1: RHP Williams Pérez (5-7, 5.35) vs. RHP Taylor Jungmann (5-1, 2.45)
G2: RHP Casey Kelly (5-2, 4.58) vs. RHP Paulo Espino (4-1, 3.69)
11:30 a.m. CT | Security Service Field | Colorado Springs, CO

TODAY'S GAMES: Iowa and Colorado Springs meet today for both the series opener and finale after getting rained out three straight nights. The last time the I-Cubs were postponed three straight days was May 2-4, 2013 against Round Rock (5/2) and Oklahoma City (5/3-4). Iowa is 1-1-1 in doubleheaders this season, getting swept by the Sky Sox on June 10 in the two team's last twin bill.
DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK: Williams Pérez has had a rollercoaster season thus far. After joining the team from Extended Spring, the righty struggled, going 0-7 with one no-decision in his first eight starts. Since that time, something has clicked and Perez has dominated, winning his last five starts. Over those starts, he is 5-0 with 28.2 IP, allowing 21 hits, eight earned runs, 12 walks, all while recording 26 strikeouts. If he wins tonight, Perez will be the first I-Cub to win six consecutive starts since at least 1999.
SWEET STEALS: Despite a slow start on the base paths this season, Iowa now has two league leaders in stolen bases. John Andreoli (15) and Jacob Hannemann (11) are both inside the top-20 PCL leaders in steals. Mark Zagunis also stole a base on the ninth last game, making it his first with Iowa this season. In his brief stint in Chicago, Mark Zagunis became the first Cub since Junior Lake in 2013 to steal a base before recording a hit. Zagunis has more steals (2) with Chicago than he does with Iowa this year.
JOHNNY'S BACK, BACK AGAIN: With a 3-for-5 performance in Iowa's last game against Omaha, John Andreoli has continued a hot stretch that has turned his season around. Since going hitless on June 22 and seeing his average drop to .198, Andreoli has gone on a tear. In 16 games since then, he is hitting a scorching .365 (23-for-63), with five doubles, one triple, three home runs, 13 RBI, six walks and 17 strikeouts.
ON-BASE MACHINE: Mark Zagunis has continued right where he left off after returning from Chicago. In Iowa's last game on July 9, Zagunis went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, an RBI, a walk and a strikeout. Zagunis owns the league lead with 51 walks and his .399 on-base percentage is a team-high and 11th in the PCL. Zagunis has been a consistent on-base machine since being drafted in 2014. His .399 OBP this year through July 12 is consistent with other seasons. Last year through July 12 with Tennessee and Iowa, Zagunis had a .399 OBP and in 2015 with Myrtle Beach, he had an outstanding .423 OBP by July 12.
AGAINST COLORADO SPRINGS: Iowa and Colorado Springs will meet for the third of four series and the eighth of 16 games this season. Colorado Springs has dominated the season series so far, going 5-2 against Iowa. In their rain-shortened first series of the season, Iowa won 2-1, but they were swept in five games at Colorado Springs in early June, including a rain make-up game, in which Iowa was the home team. Iowa is hitting an abysmal .222 against Sky Sox pitching, and has a 7.23 ERA. On the other hand, Colorado Springs has been dominate against Iowa, with a scorching team batting average of .332 and an ERA of 2.68.
CASEY IN THE CLUTCH: Starter Casey Kelly saved bullpen arms in Iowa's last game before the break by throwing the last 3.2 innings against Omaha. Kelly came in during the sixth inning for starter Jen-Ho Tseng for his first relief appearance at the minor league level since June 25, 2016, and his first relief appearance since appearing in relief for the Atlanta Braves last season on July 1. Kelly went 3.2 innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run off a solo home run in the seventh inning. He walked just one batter and struck out two to earn the save. It was his second career save in four MiLB tries.
STILL TOASTY:Chesny Young continued his hot hitting in Iowa's last game against Omaha, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and a walk in Iowa's 9-4 win. In 19 games since June 16, Young is slashing .333 (22-for-66) with nine runs scored, two doubles, eight RBI and six walks, while striking out 10 times. Young has been phenomenal on the field as well. He has played every position except pitcher and catcher and has not committed an error since May 18. His 36 game errorless streak is the third longest by an I-Cub this season.
NOTHING BUT GOOD OUTCOMES: Jemile Weeks has been an on-base machine for the I-Cubs this season. Weeks has reached safely in every game he has played for Iowa and has reached safely in every Triple-A game he has played in since April 16, 2016 (also w/ El Paso). His 24-game streak is currently tied for the fifth-longest active streak in the PCL. In that time, Weeks is slashing .323 (30-for-93), with 19 runs scored, 10 doubles, three triples, 13 RBI, 13 walks and 11 strikeouts. .399
SHORT HOPS: Chris Dominguez is hitting .485 (32-for-65) since June 24...Mark Zagunis leads the league in walks (51)...Jemile Weeks tied his season-high with 3 RBI on July 9.