May 18 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Columbus Clippers

IOWA CUBS (19-17) vs. COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (25-12)

Wednesday, May 18, 2022 • 12:08 • Principal Park • Des Moines, IA

RHP Luke Farrell (1-0, 2.57) vs. RHP Tobias Myers (1-3, 5.55)

TODAY’S GAME: Iowa and Columbus will play game two of their six-game set today, with Luke Farrell facing off against Tobias Myers. Farrell is set to make his third appearance and second start for Iowa, holding a 1-0 record with a 2.57 ERA. On the other side, Myers will look to keep Columbus’ seven-game winning streak alive, making his seventh start of the season. The right-hander is 1-3 with a 5.55 ERA on the season for the Clippers, allowing 15 earned runs on 25 hits over 24.1 innings pitched. He has struck out 17 batters but walked 14, surrendering four home runs.

REPEAT PERFORMANCE: Luke Farrell will make just his third appearance of the season today, set to make his second consecutive start for the I-Cubs. After throwing two innings in his first outing with the team on May 8, the right-hander turned around and threw five scoreless frames on May 12 against Omaha. Farrell earned the win for Iowa, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out four along the way. He allowed the first two batters of the game to reach base before retiring 12 men in a row before allowing the third to reach base. Today he will look to repeat his one-hit performance from Thursday in an attempt to get Iowa back in the win column.

NOT THE NORM: Iowa allowed nine runs in game one of the series last night, tying their season high for runs allowed in a single game this year. In the first game back on May 7 against St. Paul, Iowa allowed nine runs on nine hits, while walking 11 batters and surrendering two home runs. They lost that game 9-2, striking out 13 times offensively, going 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and leaving nine men on-base. Last night, in their 9-3 loss to Columbus, Iowa allowed similar numbers, giving up nine runs on 11 hits while walking eight and surrendering one home run. Five of their eight walks came in the Clippers’ four-run eighth inning, including three with the bases loaded, allowing them to really take over the game. The struggles on the pitching side were not what Iowa has shown this year, entering the game ranked in the top-five in the International League in four major pitching categories. Coming into game one against Columbus last night, the I-Cubs ranked second in team ERA (3.37), third in hits allowed (248), second in runs allowed (130) and fourth in strikeouts (342) in the International League. All four pitchers allowed at least one run, with starter Matt Dermody and reliever Cayne Ueckert combining to allow seven of the nine, giving up eight hits and five walks.

FIRST STEP OF THE PROCESS: In his first game since April 19, Clint Frazier went 0-for-4 hitting in the two-hole as the designated hitter. Frazier started the year with Chicago, playing in 10 games with the Cubs before going on the injured list with an appendicitis. The outfielder started his rehab assignment yesterday with Iowa, and despite a hit not showing in the box score, he nearly had a home run. With a runner on and the I-Cubs down by two, the 27-year-old crushed a ball down the left field foul line that was originally called a home run, tying the game. After he had already come around the bases and scored, it was changed to a foul ball, continuing the at-bat in which he grounded out to end the inning.

NECK AND NECK: Robel Garcia notched three more hits last night, including an RBI double in the sixth inning to bring Iowa within one run at the time. For Garcia, it marked his 21st RBI of the season, tying him with Jared Young for the team lead. The two are also tied for first in home runs, each with nine. Garcia also leads the team in walks this year with 18 free passes taken.

SAVE THAT BASEBALL: Carlos Sepulveda was assigned to Iowa on May 12, making his Triple-A debut the next day. In his debut against the Storm Chasers, the infielder went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. He played again last night, going 1-for-1 with an RBI single and a walk. Sepúlveda got the scoring started for the I-Cubs with his RBI single, while recording his first hit at the Triple-A level.

STAY HOT: After being named International League Player of the Week by Minor League Baseball on Monday, Robel Garcia collected another three hits last night. Since Tuesday, when the hot streak began, Garcia has registered four multi-hit games including two three-hit efforts. In six games against Omaha last week, Garcia hit .409 (9-for-22) with a double and six home runs, driving in nine runs along the way. The switch-hitter hit five home runs in the first four games of the series, including at least one in each of the first four games. With the six home runs, Garcia hit a home run in 25% of his 24 plate appearances over the series. After last night, his average over his last seven games is now .462 (12-for-26) with two doubles, six home runs and 10 runs batted in. Over that stretch, the infielder is slugging 1.231 with an OPS of 1.731 and a BAbip of .500. In 28 games this year for the I-Cubs, the 29-year-old is hitting .311 (28-for-90) with six doubles, one triple, nine home runs and 21 runs batted in. His nine home runs and 21 RBI are tied for the team lead, while he leads the team with 18 free passes taken. Among International League rankings, Garcia is tied for third in home runs (9), seventh in on-base percentage (.422), first in slugging percentage (.700) and first in OPS (1.122). After last night’s game, Garcia’s slugging percentage and OPS now lead the entire Triple-A.

AGAINST COLUMBUS: Iowa’s struggles from last year against Columbus at Principal Park showed through again last night, losing 9-3. The loss moved the I-Cubs to 1-6 dating back to last year when playing at home against the Clippers. The I-Cubs split their six-game series on the road last year, moving their overall record against Columbus to just 4-9. Today will be game two of the series and the first of 12 they are scheduled to play at Principal Park this season. The teams will also matchup for a series at Columbus this year.

SHORT HOPS: In just his ninth game with Iowa last night, Nelson Velazquez notched his third multi-hit game, going 2-for-4…with last night’s double, Robel Garcia now has an extra-base hit in eight of his last 10 games…despite playing in just 17 games with Iowa, Nelson Maldonado leads the team with seven doubles; the two players behind him tied with six doubles have played in 28 and 30 games for Iowa, respectively.