Globe iconLogin iconRecap iconSearch iconTickets icon
Triple-A Affiliate
The Official Site of the Iowa Cubs Iowa Cubs

Game Notes for Sunday, July 7

Isotopes Park - Albuquerque, NM
July 7, 2013

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and Albuquerque Isotopes the final game of a four-game series at Isotopes Park. The Isotopes are the Pacific Coast League affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. This is the fourth of a seven-game road trip. The team will travel to New Orleans tomorrow to start a three-game series against the Zephyrs.

NOT WORTH THE WAIT: The Cubs held a 1-0 lead for 21 hours, but when Friday night's suspended game was picked up last night, the Isotopes doubled their way to an 10-3 win. The 'Topes recorded seven doubles among 11 hits in the game, including three from Matt Angle. Angle is the first player to record three doubles in a game against the Cubs this year. Omaha also had seven doubles in a game against the Cubs on April 27. It was the 11th time this season that Cubs have allowed 10 or more runs in a game this year.

BAD LUCK FOR LOUX: RH Barret Loux recorded his first career complete game in last night's regularly scheduled game, but lost as the 'Topes blanked the Cubs 1-0. Loux allowed one run on four hits, walked four, and struck out six in six innings. Former Cub Ian Stewart had two hits, including a double, and sored the game's only run. Loux hasn't allowed more than one run in eight straight games (five starts) and has allowed six runs (five earned) in 31.0 innings for a 1.45 ERA during this stretch.

BLANKED: Last night's shutout loss was the Cubs' league-high ninth of the year. New Orleans and Tucson have each been shutout eight times this year. It was the third time the Cubs have lost 1-0. Last night marked the first time the Cubs have ever been shutout in 87 games at Isotopes Park. The only other time that Cubs have ever been blanked in Albuqueruqe was a 3-0 loss on July 24, 1999 against the Albuquerque Dukes. The Cubs haven't been shut out this many times in a season since getting blanked 10 times in 2009. The franchise record is 14 set in 1972 and matched in 1990.

WALK THIS WAY: The Cubs tied their season-high with nine walks issued in Friday night's game. It was the fifth time the Cubs have walked nine in a game, but the first time since May 24 against Oklahoma City. The Cubs also walked nine against the Isotopes on April 12 at home. The Cubs are sixth in the league with 326 walks.

VS. ALBUQUERQUE: The Isotopes lead this series 2-0 and lead the season series 8-3 after sweeping the Cubs in a four-game series at Isotopes Park to begin the season. The Cubs and 'Topes split a four-game series at Principal Park, April 12-15, in the Cubs' first home series of the year. The 'Topes will be in Des Moines for the Cubs' next home series, July 11-14 to complete the season series. Last year, the Isotopes won the season series 12-4 and swept all eight games in Albuquerque. Thursday night's win snapped the Cubs' 13-game losing streak at Isotopes Park, but the Cubs have lost 15 of 16 at "The Lab." Albuquerque leads the all-time PCL series 115-104, including a 68-43 mark at home. Since the franchise became the Isotopes in 2003, Albuquerque leads 88-83 with a 55-32 mark at home.

THE WRIGHT STUFF: OF Ty Wright was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk in Friday night's game and has hit safely in a season-high four straight games with the I-Cubs. In the eight games since returning from double-A, Wright is batting .414 (12-for-29) with three doubles, two homers, five runs scored, and nine RBI.

EXPLODING PEN: RH Eduardo Sanchez allowed three runs in the eighth inning of Friday night's game, ending his streak of 12.1 consecutive scoreless innings over eight appearances. The Cubs' bullpen had to cover seven innings of the suspended game and allowed nine runs (seven earned) in the loss. The bullpen allowed more runs in that game than they had in their last 20 games. Prior to Friday's contest, Cubs' relievers had posted a 1.33 ERA (8ER/54.0IP) with 19 walks and 52 strikeouts in those 20 contests. RH Michael Bowden now owns the longest current scoreless streak for a Cubs' reliever at 10 innings over his last seven appearances.

STOP THIEF!: The Isotopes stole three more bases in yesterday's action. The Cubs are second in the league with 96 stolen bases allowed this year. Opponents have stolen 103 against Nashville. The Cubs are last in caught-stealing percentage. The Cubs have caught just 14% (16-for-112) of runners trying to steal this year. The 'Topes are 23-for-25 in the season series.