Game Notes - 5.21.17 vs. TAC

Iowa Cubs (19-22) vs. Tacoma Rainiers (26-15)
RHP Aaron Brooks (3-3, 7.24) vs. RHP Nathan Bannister (0-0 0.00)
1:08 p.m. | Principal Park | Des Moines, IA

TODAY'S GAME: Iowa and Tacoma play the third game of a four-game set at Principal Park today. The Rainiers captured a comeback victory with four ninth-inning runs last night, marking just the second time all season that Iowa has given up a lead when ahead after eight. The I-Cubs dropped 7-9 in home games and snapped their four-game winning streak.
KICKED BY THE K:Andrew Moore and Jean Machi combined to whiff 13 Iowa Cubs last night, marking a season high strikeouts for the home team. Iowa has fanned more than 10 times seven times this season. The last time the I-Cubs struck out 13 or more times game two of a double-header against Salt Lake on July 20, 2016.
FRESH AS AGUA:Juan Paniagua made his first start since August 27, 2014 last night, and threw 4.2 innings of one-run ball. Paniagua allowed one run in the first inning, but shut down the Rainiers from there, striking out four. He exited the game with a 3-1 lead. The start was a positive sign for Paniagua who has struggled to contain opposing hitters this season, allowing nine earned runs in 9.1 innings as a reliever. 
FEELIN' HOT HOT HOT: Chris Dominguez wields a hot bat, hitting safely in nine of his last 10 games (14-for-38, .368, 8 RBI). This follows a stretch of five straight games without a hit for the infielder (0-for-16). 
TURN IT UP A NOTCH: Ozzie Martinez has a hit in a season best four straight games and is 6-for-13 (.461) with one double and five RBI over this stretch (5/16-20). Prior to the 16th, Martinez had just two RBI and no extra-base hits through 24 games. 
HOME RUN HEROES: Jeimer Candelario blasted a go-ahead home run for Iowa in the sixth last night, though the I-Cubs couldn't hang on to the lead. It was just the third homer in eight games for Iowa and the team's first since John Andreoli and Taylor Davis both went long on May 16 in Las Vegas. 
DOUBLE DOWN DAVIS: Taylor Davis recorded two hits last night, including an RBI double in the ninth inning. Davis is now hitting .314 (16-57) this month after hitting .274 in April. The two hits also allowed Davis to keep an impressive streak going. Since August 10, 2016, Davis has failed to get on base only twice (May 2 and 18). 
AGAINST TACOMA: Iowa and Tacoma played a four-game series in 2016 at Tacoma. The Rainiers swept the series, outscoring the I-Cubs 26-12. With last night's victory, the Rainiers took a 47-46 edge in the all-time match up. Through the last three seasons, Taylor Davis has carred the I-Cubs vs. the Rainiers, going 14-for-29 (482) with six doubles and four RBI through eight games. His best season was 2015 when he was 8-for-17 (.471) in four games with five doubles and three RBI. 
ONE-TWO PUNCH: Iowa scored three runs in the second inning last night and has logged 27 of its 52 runs within the first two frames over its last nine games. The I-Cubs have scored at least once in the first two innings in every game but one (5/13 @ SL) over this strech. 
CANDY CRUSH: Jeimer Candelario hit his fifth home run of the season last night. With that hit, he is now tied for fifth in the PCL with 21 extra-base hits this season. His .333 (35-105) batting average has him tied for eleventh in the league and his .431 on-base percentage is also tied for fourth in the PCL. 
GOING HOME: Jeimer Candelario boasts a .393 (20-for-51) clip in home games thie season, while hitting .278 (15-for-54) on the road. Candelario reached base in 11 straight home games from April 6-25 and has reached in 14 of 15 games at Principal Park this season. 
YOU CAN COUNT ON CARATINI: Victor Caratini got two hits for Iowa last night after struggling to get on base in the previous two games. Caratini pounded a single early in the game and a double in the ninth. The hot-hitting switch hitter is hitting a scorching .403 (27-67) this month. His 27 hits in May are tied with Chesny Young for the most in the Cubs' farm system. The pair is tied for the eighth-most May hits in all of minor league baseball. Garabez Rosa leads the pack with 31 hits for the Bowie Baysox.
SHORT HOPS: Bijan Rademacher snapped an five-game skid (0-for-7) by going 1-for-4 last night....Taylor Davis has reached base in 21 straight home games dating back to August 18, 2016...David Rollins has compiled 2.1 scoreless innings over two appearances after getting hit for 15 earned runs in 3.1 innings over three games (40.50 ERA)...RHP WIlliams Perez celebrates his 26th birthday today.