June 24 Game Notes - Iowa vs. Round Rock

Iowa Cubs (42-34) vs. Round Rock Express (44-31)
Sunday, June 23 • 1:08 PM • Principal Park • Des Moines, IA
RHP Trevor Clifton (2-6, 4.73) vs. RHP Brandon Bielak (0-3, 9.17)

TODAY'S GAME: The I-Cubs and Express meet for the ninth time in 2019 on Monday afternoon. With a victory, Iowa can clinch its first home series since taking three-of-four against San Antonio on April 29 - May 2. 
DOMINATING DONNIE: After going 0-for-8 in two games in Round Rock, outfielder Donnie Dewees is 4-for-13 (.308) in this series with a triple and two home runs. His home run in Sunday's contest added Dewees to list of Robel Garcia (3), Trent Giambrone (2) and Phillip Evans (2) as I-Cubs batters with multiple big flies against the Express this season.
NOBLE ROBEL: Robel Garcia has played in all eight contests against Round Rock this season, causing trouble in each game thus far. He has scored a run in seven of the eight games, crossing home plate a total of 12 times, while hitting at a .429 pace (12-for-29) with three doubles and three home runs. He has reached base in half of his plate appearances against the Express, holding a .500 on-base percentage.
REA-NY DAY: The Express lineup caused Colin Rea issues for the second-consecutive start. After going a season-low 4.0 innings and allowing a then-season-high five runs back on June 2, Rea spun just 4.2 frames on Sunday, his second-shortest outing of 2019. Rea also surrendered a season-high seven runs, four earned, while striking out a season-low one batter. Despite the tough outing, Colin Rea's 3.56 ERA is fourth in the PCL
DON'T MISS A BEAT: Since returning from the IL, shortstop Dixon Machado is hitting at a .308 pace (8-for-26) with four doubles, one home run, six RBI and five walks. The I-Cubs are 6-2 with Machado in the lineup since the shortstop returned from a brief IL stint on June 13, with both losses ending in extra innings. Iowa holds a 31-20 mark this season when Machado is in the starting lineup.
GET IT TO THE PEN: Iowa's bullpen has been excellent over its last five games. The bullpen has provided 20.1 innings of relief while allowing one earned run on 11 hits. They have 25 strikeouts and six walks in during this stretch. Overall, Iowa's bullpen is 19-9 with a 3.38 ERA in 2019. 
AGAINST ROUND ROCK: With a victory last night, Round Rock tied up the season series at 4-4. Iowa has outscored the Express by just two runs in the seven games they have played so far this year, holding a 35-33 lead. The two clubs were evenly matched in last year's meetings as well, with the Express taking the season series 8-6, while outscoring Iowa 65-60 over the 14 games.
STREAKING: With a single in his first at-bat on Sunday, Jim Adduci extended his hitting streak to 19 games, which ties Memphis' Rangel Ravelo for the longest streak in the PCL this season. Iowa's first baseman is hitting at a .387 clip (29-for-75) with seven doubles, four home runs, 20 RBI and 19 runs scored over the 19 games. His 19-game streak is the longest active streak in the PCL, and with a hit on Monday, would join Ryan Court (2018) and Willson Contreras (2016) as the only I-Cubs batters with 20-game hitting streaks since a 22-game stretch from Micah Hoffpauir in 2010.
KEEP THEM IN THE PARK: Round Rock is second in the league with 132 home runs as a team and has already hit six out of the park so far against Iowa in this series at Principal Park. After hitting just one home run in his first 19 games of 2019, Josh Rojas has homered in each of the last three games against the I-Cubs, his first professional three-game home run streak. The I-Cubs pitching staff has given up 95 home runs as a staff, the third lowest number in the PCL.
PACK 'EM IN: The I-Cubs have welcomed over 10,000 fans to Principal Park in each of the last three games (11,930, 10,075 and 10,089) for a total of 32,094 visitors over the weekend. This is the first time Iowa has had brought in a five-figure attendance for three-straight home games since Aug. 25-27, 2017 when the ballpark hosted 13,249, 11,255 and 10,873 fans, respectively. 
SHORT HOPS:Mark Zagunis went 1-for-4 on Sunday to extend his hitting streak to a season-best five games, while reaching base safely for his 17th-straight game...Jim Adduci has recorded multiple hits in five of his last nine games...The I-Cubs hold a 4.45 ERA in June, tied for the second-best mark in the league...Duane Underwood Jr. holds a 1.93 ERA (2ER/9.1IP) in his last six relief appearances.