Game Notes for Saturday, May 26
VALBUENA SAYS BYE-BYE FOR CUBS WIN: With two outs in the top of the ninth inning, SS Luis Valbuena connected on a solo homer off Maikel Cleto, lifting the Cubs to a 2-1 victory over the Redbirds last night. It was Valbuena's sixth home run of the season and his second at Auto Zone Park. Five of his six home runs have come on the road this year. Valbuena has a hit in four straight games and is batting .438 (7-for-16) with three doubles, a triple, two home runs, three runs scored, and six RBI during the streak. Last night's victory was the Cubs' fourth win in their final at-bat and their third when tied after eight innings.
WHAT A RELIEF: RH Jay Jackson was pressed into service early last night when starter Rodrigo Lopez came out after one pitch with a groin strain. He is day-to-day. Jackson picked him up with five strong innings. He allowed one run on three hits and struck out five. Jackson has allowed two runs on eight hits in 9.2 innings for a 1.86 ERA in his four relief appearances this season. He is 2-4 with a 7.79 ERA in his seven starts.
ROAD WARRIORS: The Cubs have won six of their last nine road game. As a team, the Cubs are batting 13 points higher on the road (.272) than at home (.259). The team's home run total is double on the road compared to at home (32-to-16), helping the Cubs score 117 runs in 21 road games while totaling 109 runs in 26 home games.
SLIM MARGINS: Last night's win was the Cubs' league-leading 22nd one-run game (9-13) of the season. That is the most one-run games in all of triple-A and tied for second in minor league baseball. The Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate in the Midwest League) are 14-9 in 23 one-run games. The Tulsa Drillers (Colorado Rockes affiliate in the Texas League) are tied with the Cubs with a 15-7 record in their 22 one-run contests. The Cubs had lost their last two one-run games.
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER: The Cubs are 0-7 on Saturdays this season, including an 0-2 mark on the road.
VS. MEMPHIS: The Cubs lead this series 1-0, but the Redbirds lead the season series 6-3. The Redbirds won three of four in each of the first two series this season. Their series win at Principal Park, April 21-24, was their first in Des Moines since 2007. Last year, the Redbirds won the season series 10-6 over the Cubs, including seven of eight at Auto Zone Park. The Cubs have not won consecutive games at Auto Zone Park since 2009 and haven't won a series in Memphis since 2006. The Redbirds lead the all-time series 106-95, including a 68-34 mark in Memphis.
HERNANDEZ JOINS I-CUBS: IF Diory Hernandez joins Iowa today. He batted .159 (7-for-44) in 32 games with Oklahoma City this season before getting released by the Houston Astros on Wednesday. The Chicago Cubs signed him yesterday. Hernandez originally signed with Atlanta in 2002 and has batted .157 (20-for-127) in 75 big league games with the Braves over the last three seasons. He will be active tonight pending a physical just before game time.
BELIVEAU, DEWITT TO DL: The Chicago Cubs have placed LH Jeff Beliveau on the disabled list retroactive to May 22 and IF Blake DeWitt as of May 25. Beliveau has a left shoulder strain. The reliever struck out three in two scoreless innings in his last game on May 20 vs. Salt Lake. He has not allowed a run in 5.1 innings over his last five appearances. DeWitt rolled over his wrist trying to make a diving catch in left field on Thursday afternoon against Tacoma. He has played in four games since joining the I-Cubs on May 18.
ON THE MEND: C Steve Clevenger and RH Carlos Marmol began Major League rehab assignments with Iowa on Tuesday. Clevenger has played in three games, and is 2-for-7 with a double and two runs scored. He caught six innings in last night's game. Clevenger has been out since April 26 with a strained right oblique. He made his first Major League Opening Day roster and was batting .500 (11-for-22) with five doubles in 10 games before the injury. Marmol has been out since May 12 with a strained right hamstring. He was 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA and two saves in 15 games before the injury. After throwing a bullpen session and a simulated game in Des Moines, Marmol saw his first game action last night. He allowed one hit, one walk, and struck out one in a scoreless inning.