May 26 Game Notes vs. New Orleans

Iowa Cubs (17-29) vs. New Orleans Baby Cakes (23-25)
Saturday, May 26 • 7:08 p.m. CT • Principal Park • Des Moines, IA
RHP Alec Mills (2-4, 4.26) vs. RHP Trevor Richards (2-1, 2.05)

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs will send RHP Alec Mills to the mound against RHP Trevor Richards. Last season, Mills made his first career start against New Orleans throwing five shutout innings on 67 pitches.
SEASON HIGH CITY: The I-Cubs exploded for a season-high 13 runs on a season high 18 hits during last night's ball game. The team was lead by the offensive production of Taylor Davis, who drove in six RBI -- the most by any I-Cub all season. The alleyways were generous to the I-Cubs after the team recorded a season-high six doubles on the night. Efren Navarro smacked two doubles in the game, which is tied for the most by an individual I-Cub this year. 
 
HAMMERIN' HANNEMANN: Jacob Hannemann compiled another multi-hit performace last night going 2-for-3. Over the last five games, the center fielder is hitting .500 (8-for-16) with three runs and four RBI. His season .274 average is good for fifth-best on the team (100+AB) with the third-most runs scored at 17. Hannemann is hitting a scalding .364 in May after posting a .149 April average. 
ROSTER ROTATION: Today, Chicago selected the contract of C Chris Gimenez from Iowa and in a counter move, optioned C Victor Caratini. Gimenez is a veteran guy, having played 361 major league contests over nine seasons. Caratini made his first Opening Day roster with Chicago this season. He had hit .262 (17-for-65) through 26 games with the big club in 2018. C Ali Solis was added to Iowa's roster from the DL to take the place of Gimenez. To make room on the 40-man roster, 1B Efren Navarro was DFA'd. 
HAVE A NIGHT TAYLOR DAVIS: Taylor Davis had one of the best nights of his career, going 4-for-5 with a double and six RBI. Davis' four hits matches a career high, last matched on July 29, 2011 when Davis played in Mesa. His new career high of six RBI eclipsed his previous total of five coming against the Baby Cakes on April 19 of last season. Davis is the first I-Cubs player to record six RBI in a single game since Stephen Bruno on June 25 of last year. 
AGAINST NEW ORLEANS: The I-Cubs increased their all-time record against the Baby Cakes to 146-137 after last night win. The I-Cubs and the Baby Cakes are slated to play each other 14 more times throughout the rest of the year.  
HITTING PARTY: I-Cubs record 18 hits in last night's game. Every starting position player tallied a hit in the game. The last time an I-Cubs team was able to do that was on August 29 of last season against the Memphis Redbirds. 
OBP MACHINES: Both Efren Navarro and Mark Zagunis reached base in all five plate appearances last night. Navarro scored four runs last night and is the first I-Cub to score four times in a single game since John Andreoli did it on July 18 of last season. Navarro has been a workhorse for Iowa, reaching base in 34 of 40 games played as an I-Cub. Mark Zagunis tallied three walks in last night's contest and has a team high 25 walks on the year. Zagunis increased his OBP a full 20 points, going from .383 to .403 last night. 
BATTING AVERAGE BUMP: With last night's outpour of hits, four I-Cubs saw their batting average increase by a full tenth or more. Jacob Hannemann went from batting .264 to .274, Mark Zagunis went from .268 to .280, Efren Navarro went from .279 to .298 after his 4-4 night, and Taylor Davis increased a full .23 points going from .275 to .298. The I-Cubs also increased their team monthly team batting average from .263 to .273.
PINCH HITTING WOES: Bijan Rademacher stepped in and pinch-hit during last night's game and struck out on four pitches. The I-Cubs are now 3-for-23 (.130) with 15 strikeouts on the year in pinch-hit situations. The only two I-Cubs with hits in pinch-hit situations are Rademacher and Jacob Hannemann. 
SHORT HOPS: Mike Freeman is currently riding a team high 10-game hitting streak...Ryan Court is now on a 5-game hitting streak...I-Cub starter have notched quality starts in three of the last four games...With Iowa's win on May 20 vs. Omaha, the I-Cubs have back-to-back wins at home for the first time this season.