Game Notes for Tuesday, May 28

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and Nashville Sounds play the first game of a four-game series. The Sounds are the Pacific Coast League affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. This is the Cubs' only series on this road trip. The Cubs return home on Saturday to start a string of nine games in nine days against New Orleans and Round Rock, including two games on Saturday, June 8 against the Express.

REDHAWKS STYMIE CUBS: The Cubs tied a season-low with three hits yesterday in a 4-3 loss to the Oklahoma City RedHawks at Principal Park. RedHawks' starter Ross Seaton (2-4) allowed all three hits and all three runs in 5.1 innings, but earned the win. Alex Sogard, Rhiner Cruz, and Jose Valdez combined to hold the Cubs without a hit over the final 3.2 innings. Cubs' starter Guillermo Moscoso (2-2) allowed all four runs in the top of the third inning and worked through five in the loss.

HOME SWEET HOME: Yesterday's loss snapped the Cubs' season-high five-game winning streak. It was the team's longest winning streak since a six-game stretch last year, May 25-31. With the win, Oklahoma City avoided being swept in the series as the Cubs won four of five and finished 9-4 on the team's longest homestand of the season. The Cubs are 16-9 at home this year and rank second in the league behind Round Rock (18-10) in home wins. The Cubs are 7-17 on the road this year. Ony Nashville (5-17) has fewer road victories.

POWER BALL: INF Brent Lillibridge swatted a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning yesterday. The Cubs have hit a home run in a season-high 10 straight games for a total of 14 long balls during this stretch. The Cubs are tied for eighth in the league with 23 home runs this month and rank 11th in the league with 43 home runs this year. 2B Logan Watkins contributed with a pair of leadoff homers in the last six games. He led off the bottom of the first with a homer off Matt Fox of Las Vegas on Wednesday, May 23 and did the same off Phil Humber of the RedHawks in game two of Sunday's twin bill.

BOGEY BALL: OF Brian Bogusevic has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games and is batting .400 (12-for-30) with a double, three home runs, four RBI and nine runs scored during this stretch.

VS. SOUNDS: The Cubs lead the season series 2-0 after victories at Principal Park, April 16 and 19. The teams were also rained out the two games in between those victories and have double-headers scheduled for June 19 and 21 when the Sounds return to Principal Park. The Cubs' second trip to Nashville will be the final four games of the regular season, August 30-September 2. Last year, the Sounds won the season series 10-6, including a 7-1 mark at Greer Stadium. The Sounds have won the season series each of the last four seasons and 11 of the 15 years the clubs have been in the PCL. The Sounds lead the all-time series 118-91 and 64-39 at home.

PITCHING PROWESS: The Cubs' pitching staff had a great run on the last homestand. Over the 13 games, the team allowed 46 runs (38 earned) in 109 innings for a 3.14 ERA while recording 107 strikeouts and 52 walks. In the last six games, the Cubs allowed 15 runs (13 earned) in 50 innings for a 2.34 ERA. The team ERA is under 5.00 for the first time this season. At 4.89, the Cubs have moved up to 11th in the league ERA race.

PEN PALS: The Cubs used three different pitchers to earn a save in the four straight wins over Oklahoma City in the last series. Zach Putnam earned two saves with Casey Coleman and Blake Parker each notching one. The bullpen hasn't allowed more than one run in a game since May 17 vs. Tucson, a span of 11 games overall. In that time, the pen has allowed five runs on 22 hits, walked 15, and struck out 35 in 33 innings for a 1.36 ERA. LH Hisanori Takahashi pitched two scoreless innings yesterday and has allowed just one run in seven innings over his last five appearances. Putnam has allowed one run in 11 innings over his last 10 appearances and Parker has allowed just one run in 7.2 innings in his last eight games.

INJURY REPORT: RH Esmailin Caridad was placed on the disabled list on May 25 with a right elbow strain. Caridad missed most of the 2011 season with a right elbow injury. 3B Josh Vitters was placed on the disabled list on May 26 with a strained muscle in his rib cage. This is Vitters' second stint on the DL this year. He was also out April 9-30 with a lower back strain.