Game Notes for Friday, September 2
SNYDER MAN RETURNS: With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning, Brad Snyder hit an 0-2 pitch off the left field wall that gave the Cubs a 5-4 win over the Nashville Sounds last night. It was Snyder's third hit of the game and his second walk-off hit of the year. The first was also in extra innings. He connected on a pinch-hit homer off Frank Mata of New Orleans in the 10th inning for a 1-0 win over the Zephyrs on May 7. The Cubs are now 3-7 in extra innings this year with all three wins coming at home (3-4). Last night was the Cubs' 11th win of the season in their final at-bat.
GROOVY BIBBY: RH Austin Bibens-Dirkx has had a powerful end to his season. He pitched six shutout innings last night for his third stright quality start and his eighth of the year. In his last three games, he combined to allow one unearned run on 16 hits in 19 innings, lowering his ERA from 7.40 to 6.07.
GIVE ME MOORE: IF Scott Moore had three hits last night, including an RBI double, and scored twice. He has reached base safely in 27 consecutive starts. In those games, he is batting .360 (32-for-89) with six doubles, a triple, two homers, 18 RBI, and 22 runs scored. Since the start of August, Moore has raised his overall average from .277 to .294.
QUICK RECOVERY: RH Blake Parker allowed a game-tying home run to Edwin Maysonet leading off the top of the ninth inning last night, but recovered to work three innings and get the win last night. It was his second blown save of the season, but he has come back to be the winner in both of those games. Parker has allowed just two runs in 18.1 innings over his last 13 appearances and five runs in his last 27.1 innings going back to his first blown save on July 2 at New Orleans. Since then, he has lowered his ERA from 4.30 to 2.86.
VS. OMAHA: The season series is tied 6-6. The Cubs and Storm Chasers have split each of the first three four-game series. In the first series at Principal Park, June 4-7, the Cubs won the first two games before the Storm Chasers came back to win the final two. Last year, the Cubs lost 10-6 in the season series to the previously named Omaha Royals in their final season at historic Rosenblatt Stadium. The Royals won six of eight played at Principal Park. The Cubs lead the all-time PCL series 113-107, including a 62-46 mark at Principal Park.
LAHAIR GETS CALL TO CHICAGO: The Chicago Cubs made Bryan LaHair their first September call-up today, selecting his contract from Iowa and adding him to the major league roster. It's the topper in a big week for LaHair. He was named to the all-PCL team on Monday and named the Iowa Cubs team MVP on Tuesday. During Tuesday night's game, he hit his 38th home run of the season to set a new Iowa franchise record for homers in a single season. Yesterday, he was named the PCL MVP. This is LaHair's second stint in the big leagues, but his first with Chicago. He played 45 games with the Seattle Mariners in 2008 and batting .250 with three home runs and 10 RBI. LaHair leads the PCL and all of minor league baseball in homers. LaHair also leads the PCL in RBI (109), extra-base hits (76), total bases (303), slugging (.664), and intentional walks (9). He is fourth in doubles (38), fifth in runs scored (91), and seventh in batting (.331). Besides the home run record, he also ranks among the best on the Iowa single season lists for total bases (second), doubles (tied for third), and RBI (fourth). He is also tied with Robin Jennings (1996-99) for fifth on the Iowa career home run list with 63.
CASHNER ON REHAB: RH Andrew Cashner joined the I-Cubs yesterday and pitched a perfect eighth ining last night, including a strikeout of Mike Rivera. Cashner suffered a right rotator cuff injury in his first start with Chicago on April 5. He is scheduled to make one more appearance with the I-Cubs before returning to Chicago.
TOOK ONE ON THE CHEN: RH Hung-Wen Chen was reassigned to double-A Tennessee today. Chen was 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in five games with Iowa this year.