August 2 Games Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. St. Paul Saints

IOWA CUBS (43-62) vs. ST. PAUL SAINTS (53-51)

Friday, August 2 • 7:08 PM CT • Principal Park • Des Moines, IA

RHP Caleb Kilian (0-0, 6.75) vs. RHP Zebby Matthews (1-1, 6.00)

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and St. Paul Saints play the fourth of a six-game series tonight at Principal Park...the series marks the third six-game set the two clubs have played this season following April 9-14 at St. Paul and June 25-30 in Des Moines... right-hander Caleb Kilian is scheduled to make his first start since Sept. 22, 2023 with Iowa at Louisville...he has made eight appearances on Major League rehab this season going 0-0 with a 7.50 ERA (10 ER in 12.0 IP)...right-hander Zebby Matthews is slated to make his 17th appearance (16th start) of the season...he has posted a 7-3 record with a 3.84 ERA (45 ER in 105.1 IP) between Advanced-A Cedar Rapids, Double-A Wichita and St. Paul.

COLD OFFENESE: The I-Cubs dropped the third game of the series to St. Paul by an 8-2 score last night...Iowa tallied just four hits in the contest from Owen Caissie, Trayce Thompson, Chase Strumpf and Darius Hill...the lone runs from the I-Cubs came on a two-run single from Hill in the seventh inning...starter Brandon Birdsell suffered the loss as he worked 6.0 innings and allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits with five strikeouts... Cam Sanders pitched a scoreless frame with two strikeouts in relief.

BLANKED: On Wednesday, Iowa was shut out for the fourth time this season following April 27-28 at Buffalo and June 19 at Indianapolis...the I-Cubs had not been shutout at home since a 6-0 loss to Toledo on Aug. 6, 2022.

HIT PARADE: The I-Cubs pitching staff snapped their streak of allowing 10 hits in six consecutive games Tuesday night as they surrendered eight hits ...it’s tied for the longest such streak in the International League this season and the first time Iowa has done so since June 29-July 4, 2022 (85 hits)...the I-Cubs have not surrendered 10 hits in seven straight contests since June 3-June 10, 2007 (98 hits overall).

ALL THE SMALL THINGS: The I-Cubs suffered a one-run loss Tuesday and fell to 21-16 in such games this year...Iowa has played the most one-run games in the International League during this season (37) ahead of next-closest Jacksonville (34).

NINE-GAME SKID: Iowa has lost nine straight games after being swept by Indy and dropping the first three games of the series vs. St. Paul...marks the first time Iowa has lost nine straight games since May 22-June 1, 2021 (also nine) and is tied for the third-longest losing streak in the IL this year...Iowa has not lost 10 straight contests since data was made available (2004)... the franchise record for most consecutive losses is 12 from April 12-23, 2000.

START THE STREAK: In Wednesday’s loss, Gilberto Celestino extended his hit streak to 10 games in which he is batting .341 (14-for-41)...it is tied for the third-longest active hitting streak in the International League this season.

SIX-GAME SWEEP: Iowa was swept by the Indianapolis Indians in their last series from July 23-28 in which they were outscored 58-27 (-31)...it marked the first time the I-Cubs were swept in a six-game set since May 25-30, 2021 vs. these St. Paul Saints.

THIS IS A HILLY AREA: In Wednesday’s loss, outfielder Darius Hill made his first professional pitcher appearance... he faced two batters with the first hitting a single and the next popping out to second...Hill became the second position player to pitch this season following Caleb Knight on May 21 vs. Indianapolis.

VS. ST. PAUL: Iowa and St. Paul are facing off for the third time this season following April 9-14 at St. Paul and June 25-30 at Principal Park...Iowa had won seven of the 15 games coming into the current series but have dropped the last three games.

MOISES COMES UP CLUTCH: Iowa Cubs No. 5 prospect (MLB.com) Moises Ballesteros hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the ninth inning of Sunday’s game...it marked the first pinch-hit grand slam for an I-Cub since Matt Spencer on Aug. 20, 2011 vs. Oklahoma City and was the first pinch-hit homer for an I-Cub in the ninth inning or later since Greg Deichmann on Aug. 18, 2021 at St. Paul (also ninth inning)...Bally has hit .292 (88-for-301) with 14 home runs and 58 RBI in 83 games between Double-A Tennessee and Iowa this season (27 games with Iowa).