May 13 Game Notes - Iowa vs. Omaha

Iowa Cubs (24-13) vs. Omaha Storm Chasers (16-21)
Monday, May 13 • 12:08 PM • Principal Park • Des Moines, IA
RHP Trevor Clifton (1-0, 1.19) vs. RHP Heath Fillmyer (1-1, 4.96)

TODAY'S GAME: The I-Cubs look to bounce back from two-straight losses to the Storm Chasers today at Principal Park. Iowa lost consecutive games one other time this season, but has not lost more than two-in-a-row. Iowa remains atop the PCL American Northern Division with a 24-13 record, 8.0 games in front of third-place Omaha. 
OUR FILL OF PHILL: Minor League free agent Phillip Evans has been a great addition to the I-Cubs lineup this season. The infielder paces the PCL with 30 walks and is seventh with a .447 on-base percentage. In 35 games with the I-Cubs, Evans has reached base in 30 of them. Since April 24, Evans is batting .350 (21-for-60) with four home runs and 15 RBI. His 21 walks and two hit-by-pitches give him a .530 on-base percentage over this span. 
PITCHING DOING THE JOB: Iowa's pitching continues to thrive as the staff tops the PCL with a 3.87 ERA and averages of 7.9 hits per nine innings and 1.1 home runs per nine innings. The I-Cubs are hovering around the franchise-record 2015 squad that recorded a 3.73 ERA.
WALK THE LINE: Iowa drew three walks yesterday and remains atop the PCL with 168 free passes -- three more than second-place Las Vegas. The I-Cubs also hold the top-three spots individually on the PCL leader board, led by Phillip Evans with 30 and followed by Dixon Machado (29) and Ian Happ (25). Happ drew all three of Iowa's walks yesterday to match a career high. He has three, three walk games with Iowa this season. 
HOME SWEET HOME: Iowa is hitting a near equal .247 at home and .258 on the road, and has similar pitching marks with a 3.96 clip at Principal Park and a 3.80 mark in enemy territory. However, Iowa is just 9-8 in home games and 15-5 on the road. Despite their home record, Iowa is out-scoring opponents 81-69 in home games, largely due to a 19-run outburst on April 28 vs. Nashville. 
AGAINST OMAHA: After executing a sweep of Omaha at Werner Park last series -- its first sweep in Omaha since June 6-8, 2008 -- Iowa has fallen to 0-2 in this home set. Iowa is batting .268 against Omaha, while the Storm Chasers hold a .216 average. The largest difference in the series is Iowa's 29 walks and 36 strikeouts, compared to the Omaha offense's 11 walks and 43 strikeouts. 
WHEN IT COUNTS: Iowa is batting .253 as a team - the fourth-lowest mark in the PCL. The I-Cubs are batting .231 with bases empty, but are hitting the ball when it counts. The team is batting .287 with runners on, .284 with runners in scoring position and .295 with RISP and two outs. With bases loaded, the I-Cubs are hitting .333 as a team. Donnie Dewees has been particularly good when it counts as the outfielder is 11-for-20 (.550) with runners on and is 7-for-10 (.700) with RISP and two outs. 
LIMITING HITS: Dillon Maples gave up one hit, hit one batter and fanned three in 1.1 scoreless innings of work Saturday. Of 47 batters faced with Iowa this season, only 14 have put the ball in play resulting in four hits and 10 outs. Maples has walked nine, hit three and struck out 21 -- good for an average of 18.29 strikeouts per nine innings.
FINDING A WAY: Ian Happ has reached base in 10-straight games, thanks to a .286 batting average (10-for-35) and 12 walks through this span. The utility man has struck out just six times in these 10 games. Happ has reached base in 21 of his last 22 games and boasts 22 walks compared to 12 strikeouts through the span. 
SHORT HOPS: Iowa is 18-0 when scoring six or more runs in a game...Donnie Dewees' 19-game on-base streak ended yesterday when the outfielder went 0-for-4 with a strikeout…Alec Mills gave up a career-high three home runs yesterday.