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Game Notes for Tuesday, July 22

Principal Park - Des Moines, IA
July 22, 2014

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and New Orleans Zephyrs play game two of a four-game series. The Zephyrs are the Pacific Coast League affiliate of the Miami Marlins. This is the second game of a nine games in seven days for the Cubs on this home stand. The Cubs will play back-to-back double-headers against the Memphis Redbirds on Saturday and Sunday to complete this home stand.

CUBS AMBUSHED IN OPENER: Jake Marisnick opened the game with a solo home run and Zach Cox hit a two-run shot in the second inning as the Zephyrs struck early and hung on to beat the Cubs 5-4 last night in the opening game of this series. Cubs' starter Dan Straily allowed both home runs and four runs on seven hits in six innings for the loss. Zephyrs' starter Elih Villanueva limited the Cubs to one unearned run on three hits in six innings to earn his first win since June 18. The Cubs are 10-17 in series openers this season.

A LITTLE LUCK NEVER HURTS: INF Javy Baez hit a infield popup that fell between three defenders for a hit in the sixth inning last night. It was his only hit as he extended his season-high hitting streak to 15 games. He is batting .306 (19-for-62) with six doubles, five home runs, 14 RBI, and nine runs scored during this streak. The hitting streak is the longest for any Cub this season and one shy of matching his career-high. Baez hit in 16 straight games with single-A Peoria in 2012. This streak is the third-longest active streak in the league behind Wilmer Flores of Las Vegas (22) and Robbie Grossman of Oklahoma City (18). He is tied with former I-Cub Tony Campana for the sixth-longest overall streak in the league this year. Campana hit in 15 straight for Salt Lake, June 21-July 7.

LARS AND IN CHARGE: 1B Lars Anderson smacked a two-run homer and scored two runs last night, accounting for nearly all of the Cubs' offense in the game. It was Anderson's first home run since May 12 against Nashville. Anderson has hit safely in three straight games, going 6-for-12 with a double, a home run, four RBI, and three runs scored. After starting the year 2-for-28, Anderson is batting .381 (21-for-55) over his last 21 games with five doubles, two home runs, 15 RBI and 10 runs scored.

VS. NEW ORLEANS: The Zephyrs lead this series 1-0. The season series is tied 4-4. These teams split a four-game series at Principal Park in early April, and the Cubs won two games in a rain-shortened three-game series at Zephyr Field in May. The Cubs make their second trip to New Orleans to finish off the season series, July 29-August 1, including a double-header on July 30. Last year, the Zephyrs won the season series 11-5, including a 5-3 mark at Principal Park. The Zephyrs have won the season series over the Cubs in three straight seasons, going 30-14 from 2011-13. New Orleans leads the all-time PCL series 114-112, but the Cubs hold a 66-53 advantage at home.

CAB RIDE: RH Alberto Cabrera pitched two scoreless innings last night. It was his eight straight appearance with two or more innings pitched and he has allowed a run in just one of those games. He has given up two runs in 17.2 innings over his last eight appearances, dropping his ERA from 5.40 to 3.72.

PEN PALS: In the last eight games, the Cubs' bullpen has allowed four runs in 24.1 innings for a 1.48 ERA. The 'pen has allowed 18 hits, 11 walks, and struck out 36 in this stretch. RH's Armando Rivero and Marcos Mateo have each pitched 7.2 innings over their last five appearances without allowing a run. Closer Blake Parker has allowed one unearned run in 9.1 innings over his last nine appearances.

FUJIKAWA JOINS ON REHAB: RH Kyuji Fujikawa joined the I-Cubs bullpen on a rehab assignment yesterday and allowed a run on two hits in one inning of work. Fujikawa underwent Tommy John surgery last June after appearing in 12 games with Chicago. Prior to joining the I-Cubs, he made six rehab appearances between Rookie Mesa and single-A Kane County, and didn't allowed an earned run in 5.2 innings. He struck out nine and walked two. Fujikawa made one rehab appearance with Iowa last season and pitched a scoreless inning.

HENDRICKS RECALLED: The Chicago Cubs recalled RH Kyle Hendricks to start against the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field tonight and optioned LH Zac Rosscup to Iowa. This is Rosscup's fifth stint with Iowa this season, including a rehab assignment, June 7-13.