Game Notes - 7.9.17 vs. Omaha

Iowa Cubs (41-48) vs. Omaha Storm Chasers (40-47)
RHP Jen-Ho Tseng (0-0, -.--) vs. RHP Jake Junis (2-3, 2.39)
1:08 p.m. | Principal Park | Des Moines

TODAY'S GAME: Iowa and Omaha meet today for the rubber match of a three-game set at Principal Park. The I-Cubs captured the series opener, marking the fourth home series in a row where they have taken the opening game, but dropped the second game last night. Right-hander Jen-Ho Tseng will take the mound today in his Triple-A debut as the I-Cubs look for their fourth straight home series victory.
CONNECT FOUR: If the I-Cubs win this afternoon, they will have won four straight series at Principal Park. Iowa has won three straight series at home (Omaha 6/17-6/20; New Orleans 6/26-6/29; Round Rock 6/30-7/3) for the first time since June-July 2014. The last time the I-Cubs won four consecutive series in their home ballpark was June-July 2013, when they took three of five from Round Rock (6/6-6/9), three of four from Omaha (6/14-6/17), five of six from Nashville (6/18-6/21) and two of three from Memphis (7/1-7/3).
KEEP IT GOING: Chris Dominguez went 2-for-4 with an RBI in last night's 5-1 loss. He now has multi-hit games in 10 of his last 11, and 13 of his last 15 games. Dominguez is batting .492 (31-for-63) since June 24, which ranks second best in all of minor league baseball, trailing only Salt Lake's César Puello (.500, 24-for-48). His 31 hits over this span pace the MiLB. Dominguez has raised his season average from .259 to .330 in just two weeks
GETTING SLAMMED: With a grand slam by Raul Mondesi for the second straight night, Iowa gave up its fourth grand slam of the year, tying El Paso for the league-lead. The four grand slams the I-Cubs have allowed this season have all come in the sixth inning or later, with all but one resulting in a loss for the team. Mondesi's slam last night off of Aaron Brooks in the sixth took the life out of Iowa after Brooks had been perfect through four innings. It was the first time I-Cubs pitchers have allowed grand slams in consecutive games since April 4-5, 2014 when Greg Garcia and Audry Pérez of Memphis hit slams off Jonathan Sánchez and Neil Ramírez.
NOT QUITE ENOUGH: Iowa scored just one run last night on an RBI single from Chris Dominguez. Iowa has scored just one run in 14 games this season. With the loss last night, Iowa dropped to just 2-12 in those games, with the lone wins coming on opening night against Oklahoma City and the other coming on June 26 against New Orleans.
AGAINST OMAHA: Iowa and Omaha will meet for the second of four series and the seventh of 16 games this season tonight. Iowa took the first series between the two in June, going 3-1 in four games and outscoring the Storm Chasers 30-14. In that series, Iowa dominated the Storm Chasers both at the plate and on the mound. The I-Cubs hit .292, compared to Omaha's .259 over those four games. Through the clubs' first six meetings, Iowa pitchers own a 3.50 ERA while Omaha pitching owns a 6.12 ERA.
CAN'T TOUCH THIS: Félix Peña gave up a leadoff homer in the ninth last night before loading the bases with no outs. Pierce Johnson was called on to get Iowa out of the jam and proved his worth by striking out the side to escape the jam with no runs allowed. Johnson needed just 16 pitches to get out of trouble, 12 of which he threw for strikes. Johnson has settled down after struggling upon his return from Chicago. He struggled mightily in his first 10 games back, going 0-2 in 11.1 innings, allowing 21 hits, 13 earned runs, while walking four and striking out 13. Since that time, Johnson has pitched in six games, earning two saves while pitching 5.2 innings, allowing just one earned run, while striking out nine.
HITTING HIS STRIDE:Chesny Young continued his hot hitting last night, going 2-for-5 in Iowa's 5-1 loss. In 18 games since June 16, Young is slashing .333 (21-for-63) with nine runs scored, two doubles, six RBI and five walks, while striking out 10 times. Young has been phenomenal on the field as well. He has played every position except pitcher and catcher and has not committed an error since May 18. His 35 game errorless streak is the third longest by an I-Cub this season, behind the current streaks of Bijan Rademacher (42) and Mark Zagunis (39).
ON-BASE MACHINE: Jemile Weeks has been an on-base machine for the I-Cubs this season. Weeks has reached safely in every game he has played for Iowa and has reached safely in every Triple-A game he has played in since April 16, 2016 (also w/ El Paso). His 23-game streak is currently the sixth-longest active streak in the PCL. 
SHORT HOPS: Aaron Brooks was perfect through 4.1 innings last night...Brooks set his season-high with nine strikeouts...Taylor Davis was unable to throw out a baserunner last night, giving Iowa the seventh-worst caught stealing percentage in the PCL at .261 (65-for-88).