Game Notes for Monday, May 30
TURNING THE TABLES: One day after the Cubs rallied in the top of the ninth inning to beat the Express, Round Rock returned the favor with two runs in the ninth inning yesterday to beat the Cubs 9-8. Brad Nelson drove in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly. Marcos Mateo (0-1) allowed two runs on one hit and three walks in the final inning and a third. He was charged with a blown save and a loss. It was the Cubs' fourth blown save of the season and the fourth time the Cubs have lost in their opponents' final at-bat.
ABRUPT ENDING: Four Cubs' relievers combined to allow six runs in 4.2 innings yesterday, putting an abrupt ending to a great run. Over their previous six games, Cubs' relievers had worked 21.1 innings and allowed just three runs for a 1.25 ERA.
WALK THIS WAY: The Cubs tied a season-high by issuing nine walks in yesterday's game. It was the sixth time this year that the Cubs have walked nine in the same game. The Cubs are fourth in the league with 208 walks issued this season. New Orleans leads the league with 221. Salt Lake has issued the fewest walks in the league with 168. The Cubs are second in the league with 130 walks this month. Nashville leads the league with 134.
BOMBS AWAY: The Cubs surrendered three home runs yesterday and lead the league with 63 home runs allowed this season. Jeff Stevens allowed two home runs in the seventh inning after allowing one home run in his first 13.1 innings. John Gaub gave up a solo homer to Chris Davis in the eighth inning. Two of the three homers that Gaub has allowed this season have come at Dell Diamond. He also gave up a homer to Esteban German on Opening Night. The Cubs have given up 20 home runs in 11 games against the Express this season. Davis has hit seven homers in seven games agianst the Cubs this year.
VS. ROUND ROCK: The Express lead this series 2-1 and lead the season series 6-5. Iowa took three of four in Round Rock to open the 2011 season. The Express then came to Principal Park and took three of four from Iowa to even the series. This is the final game of the season series at Dell Diamond. The Express and Cubs wrap up the season series with a four-game set at Principal Park June 9-12. Last year the Cubs won the season series 11-5 over the Express, including a 5-3 mark at Dell Diamond, when they were an affiliate of the Houston Astros. Oklahoma City was the Rangers' affiliate in the PCL last year. The Cubs won the series 10-6 over the RedHawks. The I-Cubs lead the all-time PCL series 54-53 over the Express. The Express hold a 31-24 advantage all-time at Dell Diamond.
SIX GAMES UNDER: The Cubs have matched their season-low at six games under .500 for the third time this season. Entering play today, the Cubs sit in third place in the American Northern Divsion for the first time this season. The Cubs are five games back of first place Omaha and a half-game behind second place Memphis.
CUBS CALL ON SNYDER: The Chicago Cubs placed OF Reed Johnson on the disabled list and selected the contract of OF Brad Snyder from Iowa on Sunday. In 38 games with Iowa this season, Snyder is batting .342 with seven home runs and 29 RBI. He has hit safely in 19 of his last 21 games, batting .415 in this stretch. Over the last three seasons, Snyder has batted .306 with 46 home runs and 179 RBI in 239 games with Iowa. Snyder is the ninth different player to get called up to Chicago from Iowa already this season.
BACKSTOP SHUFFLE: The Cubs activated C Geovany Soto from the disabled list yesterday and optioned C Welington Castillo to Iowa. Castillo will join the I-Cubs today. Castillo was 2-for-14 in four games with Chicago while Soto was out. He is batting .245 with two home runs and four RBI in 14 games with Iowa this year. C Steve Clevenger returns to double-A Tennessee today. Clevenger was 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI yesterday and batted .412 with three homers and eight RBI in 14 games with Iowa.
UPCOMING PROBABLES (times CT)
| Tues., May 31 | 7:05 p.m. | @ Nashville | RH Casey Coleman (0-0, 0.00) vs. RH Amaury Rivas (3-4, 4.12) |
| Wed., June 1 | 7:05 p.m. | @ Nashville | RH Jay Jackson (1-4, 7.56) vs. RH Franke De La Cruz (0-3, 4.14) |
| Thurs., June 2 | 7:05 p.m. | @ Nashville | RH Austin Bibens-Dirkx (3-2, 6.27) vs. RH Josh Butler (3-3, 4.63) |
| Fri. June 3 | 7:05 p.m. | @ Nashville | RH Albert Cabrera (0-0, 6.75) vs. LH Chase Wright (2-4, 5.80) |