April 12 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs at St. Paul Saints
April 12, 2024 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release
IOWA CUBS (7-5) @ ST. PAUL SAINTS (6-5)
Friday, April 12 - 6:37 PM CT - CHS Field - St. Paul, MN
RHP Jameson Taillon (0-0, -.--) vs. RHP Joe Gunkel (0-0, 7.71)
TONIGHT'S GAME: Iowa and St. Paul will play game four of their six-game series tonight at CHS Field...the I-Cubs will send right-hander Jameson Taillon to the mound to make his second start on Major League rehab assignment...he made his first start with Double-A Tennessee on April 7 and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits with four strikeouts...on the other side, right-hander Joe Gunkel will be the starting pitcher for St. Paul...tonight will mark the third appearance of the season for Gunkel and his first start.
LAST NIGHT'S NEWS: The I-Cubs had their four-game win streak snapped last night in a 5-2 loss at St. Paul...Iowa started hot when long-time major leaguer David Peralta singled to right field with one out in the top of the first inning to drive in Pete Crow-Armstrong and take a 1-0 lead...it was Peralta's first at-bat as a member of the Cubs organization...but the Saints hit two home runs, including a three-run shot in the 6th inning, to lead them to a 5-2 victory.
AGAINST ST. PAUL: Despite last night's loss, Iowa is currently up in the series 2-1... the I-Cubs and Saints will play game four of their current six-game series and the fourth of 24 total games between the two teams this season...after last night's loss for Iowa, the all- time series record between the two ballclubs sits at 39-47 in favor of St. Paul. In games that have been played at CHS Field, Iowa has a record of 22-28...the I-Cubs have won four of the last five games against the Saints.
NOTHING EASY: Chris Clarke made his third start of the season last night and pitched 3.2 scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 0.90 this season...Iowa's starting pitchers have posted a 2.98 ERA (14 ER in 42.1 IP) with 39 strikeouts through their first 12 games this season which leads the International League, ahead of second-best Worcester (3.27) and ranks second in all of Triple-A, trailing Salt Lake (2.83)...overall, the I-Cubs pitching staff ranks second in ERA with a 3.52, behind Nashville's 3.27 and Iowa also ranks second in the International League with 128 strikeouts.
AN ANOMALY: Cubs No. 1 ranked prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong tallied his fifth stolen base of the season last night...Crow-Armstrong is one of three farmhands this season to have at least five extra-base hits and five steals...on April 4, he homered and stole a base which marked his eighth career game in which he recorded a home run and a stolen base.
IN THE STANDINGS: Last night's loss snapped Iowa's four-game win streak and they fell out of a tie for first place with Omaha...however, the I-Cubs are just 1.0 game back and are 7-3 in their last 10 games after losing their first two games of the season in extra-innings...the four-game win streak by Iowa is their longest of the young 2024 season and doubles their previous longest winning streak of two games...Iowa achieved the four consecutive victories by taking the first two games of the current series against the St. Paul Saints and downing the Toledo Mud Hens in the last two games of that series last week...Looking at last season, Iowa achieved a four-game winning streak on four separate occasions with the longest win streak achieved by the 2023 I-Cubs was eight games from September 13-21.
THE BIG O: Cubs No. 3 prospect and No. 44 prospect (MLB.com) in all of baseball Owen Caissie has reached base in all 11 games he has played this season with an at-bat, totaling 12 hits and eight walks...the 11-game on-base streak is tied for the longest in the International League this season...Caissie began the year with a five-game hitting streak from March 29-April 3 in which he hit .450 (9-for-20) with three doubles and five RBI...in 2023, Caissie slashed .289/.398/.519 (127-for-439) in 120 games with Double-A Tennessee and added 22 home runs and 84 RBI...he was named a Minor League All-Star and Double-A All-Star by Baseball America along with All- MiLB Prospect First Team and MiLB.com Organization All-Star honors...additionally, Caissie ranked among Cubs farmhands in RBI (3rd), doubles (3rd, 31), home runs (T3rd), and batting average (5th).
PANNONE IS ROLLING: Left-handed pitcher Thomas Pannone was dealing for the I-Cubs again on Wednesday night as he was credited with his second win of the season after 5.0 innings with one earned run allowed off three hits, one walk, and six strikeouts against the Saints...Pannone has made three starts in 2024 and has put up impressive numbers placing him at the top of multiple categories in the International League...currently Pannone ranks first in the IL in ERA (0.57), tied for first in games started, tied for first in win percentage (1.000), tied for second in innings pitched (15.2), fourth in opponents average (.130), tied for fifth in strikeouts (17) and fifth in WHIP (0.70).
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