Game Notes - 8.4.17 vs. Fresno

Iowa Cubs (50-58) vs. Fresno Grizzlies (66-45)
RHP Aaron Brooks (5-9, 6.18) vs. RHP Mik Hauschild (5-1, 4.60)
7:08 p.m | Principal Park | Des Moines

TONIGHT'S GAME: Iowa takes on Fresno in the second game of a four-game series and eight-game homestand Friday night at Principal Park. The I-Cubs are coming off an eight-game road trip, which they finished 5-3 and salvaged their first road series win against El Paso since May 15-18 in Las Vegas. Iowa dropped last night's game to Fresno after a six-run fifth inning, in which only three of the runs scored were earned.
23 CARAT MAGIC IS BACK: In his first game back since being optioned from Chicago, Victor Caratini did what he has done all year, get on base. Last night, the I-Cubs catcher was 1-for-3 with a double and a walk. In 70 games with Iowa this season, Caratini is having the best season of his career to date. The switch hitter owns an impressive line of .341 (85-for-249), with 21 doubles, two triples, eight homers, 54 RBI, 21 walks and 41 strikeouts -- good for a .384 on-base percentage. Caratini has already set a career high with eight homers (plue one MLB) and with 54 RBI, is one shy of his career best set in 2014. 
PATIENCE AT THE PLATE: The I-Cubs tied a season-high with eight walks as a team in last night's loss to Fresno. Mark Zagunis and John Andreoli led the way with two walks apiece, while Jemile Weeks, Victor Caratini, Jacob Hannmeann and Chesny Young all contributed with one walk each. It was the third time the I-Cubs had walked eight times in a game this season, and the first time since June 14 when they lost 6-1 to Nashville.
DEFENSE TOOK IT TO THE DOGS: Iowa struggled mightily on defense last night, matching a season-high with four errors en route to the 8-1 thrashing by Fresno. The game marked the third time Iowa's defense had committed four errors this season, and the first since an April 24 loss at Round Rock. Chesny Young (9) and Mark Zagunis (3) both committed an error, while Jemile Weeks (5) committed two on the night. Iowa has 91 errors this year, good for sixth in the league. Iowa is also tied for the second-worst fielding percentage at .978.
DAILY, NOT WEEKLY: Jemile Weeks has reached base in all 36 of his starts with Iowa this season. The only times he has not reached base came on July 16 and July 29, both pinch-hit appearances. Since the start of July, Weeks' .869 OPS is second to only John Andreoli (1.019) on the I-Cubs, and his 12 doubles in that span lead the team.
AGAINST FRESNO: The I-Cubs and Grizzlies meet for a four-game series, the only time the two teams will meet this season. They met in a four-game set last season from August 12-15 at Chukchansi Park, with Iowa taking three out of four from Fresno. The are hoping to do what they did against the Grizzlies last year, after the I-Cubs dropped the opener in that series before rattling off three straight victories. Historically, Iowa has had Fresno's number, going 55-37 against Fresno and 31-14 in Des Moines.
PIERCED WITH THE K:Pierce Johnson came into the game last night, with two men on and just one out. Johnson got out of the inning without allowing any of the runners to score. On the night, he pitched 1.2 innings and struckout three of the six batters he faced. Johnson was moved to the bullpen last season after struggling as a starter. After this move, his strikeout numbers have gone up, while his walk numbers and ERA have gone down. Last season, he struck out 35 batters in just 22.1 innings of relief, as opposed to the 40 he whiffed in 40.2 innings as a starter. This season, Johnson has 55 strikeouts compared to just 21 walks in 39.0 innings. 
ROUGH START TO THE MONTH: Iowa has been off to a rocky start this month. The I-Cubs are 0-2 and are hitting just .205 (15-for-73) as a team in August and have scored just seven runs. In addition, the pitching staff has an ERA of 5.23 and have given up 15 runs, 12 earned. Opponent's, meanwhile, are hitting .265 off I-Cubs' pitching.
HAVE YOU SEEN MY SCORCHING BAT?: Chris Dominguez has been struggling over his last four games. He is 0-for-16 with six strikeouts over that span. This ice-cold stretch comes after Dominguez was on fire from the end of June until the end of July. In 30 games from June 24 to July 29, Dominguez hit .413 (50-for-121) with 23 runs, eight doubles, one triple, three homers, 17 RBI, four walks and 29 strikeouts.
SHORT HOPS: SP Jen-Ho Tseng took his first Triple-A loss last night…Mark Zagunis walked twice last night to give him 60 on the year, best in the PCL…Pierce Johnson recorded three strikeouts to tie Jack Leathersich with the team-lead among relievers with 55 strikeouts...Justin Hancock allowed his inherited runner to score last night, making it four of five inherited runners that have scored off him since joining Iowa.