Game Notes for Friday, June 5

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and Albuquerque Isotopes, Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, play the fourth game of a four-game series tonight at Isotopes Park. This is the fourth and final game of the season between the two teams. Iowa is second in the American Northern Division, 6.0 games behind OKC. This is the closest Iowa has been to first place since May 15. Albuquerque is fourth in the Pacific Southern Division, 7.0 games behind Las Vegas. 

HOW THE WEST WAS WON: The Cubs are 9-6 against Pacific clubs in 2015. They took three of four from Tacoma, dropped three of four against Reno, won three out of four against El Paso and are 2-1 against Albuquerque.

YOU DON'T SEE THAT EVERY DAY: Christian Villanueva homered for the fourth straight night, and starting pitcher Eric Jokisch tossed 5.0 strong innings with a solo home run of his own as the I-Cubs downed Albuquerque 8-2 last night. Villanueva went 2-for-4 with a homer, a double, three RBI and three runs scored. It is the first four-day homer streak since Scott Moore did it July 14-17, 2007. Keith McDonald also achieved the feat July 24-27, 2003. Jokisch picked up his third win and hit the first home run by an Iowa pitcher since Chris Rusin hit a solo home run June 27, 2014 at Colorado Springs. Lefty Drake Britton tossed 3.0 scoreless innings in relief.

HIT PARADE: Iowa notched 11 hits in last night's win, the sixth straight game of double-digit hits. Iowa has at least 10 hits in 10 of the last 16 games. The Cubs recorded exactly 15 hits five nights in a row May 30-June 3. The team is 16-3 when recording double-digit hits.

GAFFES GALORE: Iowa's 59 errors are the second-most in the PCL behind Sacramento's 60. Iowa is also last in the PCL in fielding percentage (.971). Iowa is 16-5 when committing zero errors, but 12-20 when making at least one. Iowa has committed 3+ errors in a game eight times this season. Christian Villanueva leads the PCL with 15 errors in 39 games. Javy Baez is third in the PCL with 11 errors in 34 games. Furthermore, the I-Cubs lead the PCL in unearned runs allowed. Iowa has allowed 245 total runs this season, but only 199 have been earned. That's a difference of 46 unearned runs. Iowa has outscored opponents 255-245 this season. 

vs. ALBUQUERQUE: This is the fourth of four games between the I-Cubs and Isotopes this season. The I-Cubs won three of four against Albuquerque at Principal Park in 2014. Iowa leads the all-time PCL series with the Isotopes 57-38. Iowa trails the all-time PCL series against Albuquerque franchises 119-112 (including ALB Dukes; 1998-2000). The Cubs are 36-55 all-time on the road at Albuquerque. This is the first season of the Isotopes' affiliation with the Colorado Rockies. Overall, Iowa is 89-68 against Rockies Triple-A affiliates (Colorado Springs from 1998-2014). 

EN FUEGO: Arismendy Alcantara is 13-for-30 in his last seven games with two home runs, four RBI and 11 runs. He has reached base in 19 straight contests and is tied for the league lead with five triples. Javy Baez is 12-for-30 with two home runs and eight RBI over his last seven games. Adron Chambers is 14-for-31 with three doubles, five RBI, nine runs scored and two stolen bases over his current season-high eight-game hitting streak. Christian Villanueva is 12-for-27 with four homers, three doubles, a triple, 14 RBI and 11 runs scored in his last six games. He has homered in four straight. He has a combined nine home runs between Double-A Tennessee and Iowa this season, second in the Cubs' entire farm system behind only Kyle Schwarber's 12 with the Smokies. Chris Valaika is currently on a six-game hitting streak. He is 9-for-24 with two doubles, an RBI and four runs in that span. Finally, Rubi Silva is hitting .333 (12-for-36) with three homers, a triple and seven RBI in his last 11 games. Iowa's hot hitting over the past few weeks has vaulted the team to fourth in the PCL in batting average (.279).

SLUG CITY: Iowa has been hitting the ball with authority lately. Since the start of May, Iowa has four players in the top 20 in slugging percentage in the PCL. Rubi Silva (2nd, .663) has five homers, four triples and five doubles since May 1. Christian Villanueva (9th, .559) has five homers, a triple and six doubles. Arismendy Alcantara (12th, .538) has six homers, four triples and four doubles. And Javy Baez (17th, .533) hit seven homers with five doubles. Iowa has hit 11 home runs so far in four June games. The team hit 21 homers in 29 May contests, and 13 homers in 20 April games. Overall, Iowa has hit 45 home runs, led by Alcantara's eight. They are tied for eighth in the PCL in home runs, but are third in the league in slugging (.434).

SHORT HOPS: The I-Cubs have allowed 48 runs in the first inning this season, the most of any inning. ... Rubi Silva has walked zero times in 136 at-bats this season. That is the most walk-less as-bats by a player in all of professional affiliated baseball this season.