Game Notes for Wednesday, April 20
RAIN RAIN GO AWAY: Yesterday's scheduled game against the Isotopes was already the second rain out of the year for the Cubs at Prinicipal Park. The Cubs have played only three games at home so far going 3-1. Two games have been postponed due to rain. Four games were rained out in Iowa all of last season.
LUCKY NUMBER 7: In their previous series, the Cubs entered all three games against the Memphis Redbirds trailing in the seventh inning. In each of those games they went on to either tie the score or take the lead in the home half of the seventh. The Cubs took two of three in the series against Memphis, losing the middle game of the series 7-5 in 11 innings.
STREAKING: C Chris Robinson had a hit in Monday's game to extend his hitting streak to six straight games to begin the season and 11 games in a row dating back to last season. He is tied for the fifth-longest active streak in the PCL going back to last year. Alex Amarista of Salt Lake has hit in 15 straight games going back to last year. 2B Bobby Scales entered the game defensively late on Monday as part of a double switch. He had one plate appearance, and drew a walk, keeping his hit streak of nine games intact. Scales is one of several players tied for the sixth-longest streak in the PCL this season. Tony Abreu of Reno has hit in 12 straight games to start the season.
STRIKE A POSE: Three Cubs' pitchers combined to strike out 11 batters in Monday's game against Memphis. Starter Thomas Diamond struck out seven in six innings pitched, recording his first quality start of the year. John Gaub added three in two innings. Gaub ranks third among PCL relievers with 16.20 strikeouts per nine innings (15K/8.1IP). Monday was the fifth time this season that the Cubs have reached double digits in strikeouts in a game. For the season, Cubs' pitchers have fanned 102 batters in 98.1 innings. The Cubs have the only staff in the league averaging over a strikeout per inning this season.
VS. ALBUQUERQUE: The Isotopes won the first series 3-1 when the Cubs traveled to Albuquerque April 11-14. Last year, the Cubs won the season series 9-7 over the Isotopes, but the teams split the eight games at Principal Park. Since Iowa joined the PCL in 1998, the all-time series is tied 88-88 and Iowa holds a 48-40 advantage at home.
LaHAIR LEADING THE WAY: 1B Bryan LaHair has hit in a season-high six straight games and eight of his nine starts. LaHair leads the league in on-base percentage (.521), is second in slugging (.891), and fourth in batting (.436).
MAINE MAN: LH Scott Maine finished the ninth inning of Monday's win for his third save of the season. He is tied for seond in the league in saves, one behind Rommie Lewis of Las Vegas. Maine is tied for fourth in the league with five games finished already this year. Maine is eight-for-eight in save opportunities over the last two seasons with Iowa. Last year, Maine set a career-high with 10 saves between Iowa and Tennessee (five with each team).
DOUBLE VISION: The Cubs had three doubles in Monday's win over Memphis. The team ranks second in the league with 40 doubles, two behind Tucson. The Padres have played two more games than the Cubs to this point. The Cubs are on a seemingly unsustainable pace to reach 524 doubles this year. The franchise record for doubles is 315, set in 2004.
THE BIG DANCE: Bill Dancy begins his first season as Iowa's manager after earning the Southern League Manager of the Year award last season by guiding Tennessee to an 86-53 record and a trip to the SL Championship Series. This is Dancy's 23rd season of managing in the minor leagues going back to his first assignment with Spartanburg in the Western Carolinas League in 1979. Entering this season, his career record is 1,604-1,467. Dancy has taken his teams to the post-season 10 times and won three championships with Peninsula in 1980, Clearwater in 1983 and Reading in 1985. He spent 34 years in the Philadelphia Phillies organization (1973-2008) with time as their minor league field coordinator and major league third base coach in addition to managing.