Iowa Cubs (26-18) vs. New Orleans Baby Cakes (23-21)Monday, May 19 • 12:08 PM • Principal Park • Des Moines, IARHP Duane Underwood Jr. (2-4, 6.39) vs. RHP Ben Meyer (1-4, 6.61)
Iowa Cubs (26-18) vs. New Orleans Baby Cakes (23-21)
Monday, May 19 • 12:08 PM • Principal Park • Des Moines, IA
RHP Duane Underwood Jr. (2-4, 6.39) vs. RHP Ben Meyer (1-4, 6.61)
TODAY'S GAME: Iowa will look to split the six-game series against New Orleans with a win today. The I-Cubs are 4-6 on the year against the Baby Cakes and hold a 3-4 record at Principal Park. Despite a 2-7 homestand, Iowa remains atop the PCL American North Division, 4.5 games ahead of second-place Memphis.
BOUNCE BACK: Duane Underwood Jr. takes the bump for the ninth time this season for the I-Cubs. The No. 25 ranked prospect, according to MLB.com is 2-4 with a 6.39 ERA and coming off his worst start of the year. Last time out against the Omaha Storm Chasers, the righty surrendered 11 hits, seven runs all earned, three walks while striking out four over four innings of work.
DILLON MAPLES EXPERIENCE: Since coming back from Chicago, Dillon Maples has pitched in four games for the I-Cubs. Over 5.1 innings, Maples has given up five hits, four runs and five walks. The righty has only hit one batter and struck out nine. Opponents are batting .250 off Maples over this stretch and he holds a 6.75 ERA.
LIGHTS OUT: After being sent down to Iowa in early May, Randy Rosario has been a lock down arm in the back-end of the I-Cubs bullpen. The lefty has appeared in seven games and has yet to give up and earned run. He is also a perfect 3-for-3 in save opportunities. Although he hasn't struck out a batter since his second outing, Rosario has allowed seven hits and only walked one over 7.1 innings pitched.
POWER OUTAGE: Trent Giambrone doubled in Game 1 last night for his first extra-base hit since May 4. Since that date, Giambrone is slugging .195. The utility man began the season with 17 of his 24 hits falling for extra-bases April 4-May 4 (10 2B, 7 HR), totaling a .556 slugging percentage. Other I-Cubs have experienced a similar power sap. Johnny Field has one double and two home runs through his last 15 games (13-for-53, .245) for a .377 slugging percentage after powering 12 doubles, three triples and three home runs through the first 23 games of the season (24-for-80, .300) with a .638 slugging mark.
AGAINST NEW ORLEANS: The Baby Cakes hold a 5-3 edge over the I-Cubs on the year. In those eight games, New Orleans is outscoring Iowa 43-30 as the Baby Cakes hold a .281 average in the matchup, while holding the I-Cubs to a .210 clip.
A COOLING BREEZE: Donnie Dewees hit .345 with a .508 on-base percentage through a 14-game hit streak April 25-May 9, but has cooled off since. Dewees is 2-for-24 through his last six games and has walked once and struck out five times after whiffing just nine times through his first 104 plate appearances.
FEELING GRAND:Dixon Machado became the fifth I-Cub to hit a grand slam this season in game two on Thursday. The blast was his second-career Triple-A grand slam, his other coming on June 10, 2015 with Toledo. He now has seven home runs in 2019, surpassing his single-season best of six set in 2014.
DIALED IN: After allowing two runs to score in one inning of work against Omaha on May 6, reliever Rowan Wick has not allowed an opponent to cross the plate since. In three appearances, Wick has thrown 6.2 innings, including a career-high 2.2 innings against Omaha on May 13. The righty has surrendered just three hits and two free passes while striking out four over this three-game stretch. Wick has lowered his ERA from 4.38 to 2.84 and opponents are batting just .130 off the righty in this span.
PICK ME UP: Among a struggling Iowa offense that is averaging 3.22 runs per game this homestand, Phillip Evans has been a bright spot. Through the nine-game set, Evans is 11-for-28 with five runs, two home runs, three RBI and a .393 OBP. With the team batting .246 (65-for-264) through this stretch, Evans claims 17 percent of the I-Cubs' hits.
SHORT HOPS: Trevor Clifton surrendered just two hits and one run, a solo home run over five innings of work yesterday…Ian Happ has struck out nine times without a walk in his last 13 at-bats and is hitting .077 over that span…Dixon Machado leads teammate Phillip Evans by one and paces the PCL with 32 free passes on the year.
