IL Iowa Cubs

July 24 Game Notes: Iowa at Columbus

Published on July 24, 2021 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (28-39) @ COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (30-38)

Saturday - 6:05 PM CT - Huntington Park - Columbus, OH

RHP Adrian Sampson (4-3, 4.98) vs. RHP Brad Peacock (0-1, 10.80)

TONIGHT'S GAME: The I-Cubs and Clippers are set to meet for game five of six tonight, with the series currently tied at two games apiece. Iowa will send out righty Adrian Sampson, who is set to face Columbus for the second time this year and eighth time of his career. In his first start of the year against the Clippers, the righty tossed 5.0 innings, allowing six earned runs on six hits, including two home runs. He walked three and struck out five in that loss. Opposite of Sampson will be righty Brad Peacock toeing the rubber for Columbus. Peacock was signed by Cleveland to a minor league contract on June 25 and is 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA in four games with the Clippers this year. He has allowed 10 earned runs on 12 hits, including one home run, while walking five and striking out nine.

A GRAND REUNION: Infielder Sergio Alcántara rejoined the Iowa roster before the game yesterday after spending almost two months up with Chicago. Alcantara was called up from Iowa on May 30 and appeared in 39 games for the Cubs during his stay, hitting .171 (14-for-82) with three doubles, three triples, and two home runs. Before last night, the infielder last suited up for Iowa on May 28. At the time of his call-up, Alcantara was hitting a team-best .328 for the I-Cubs (min. 20 at-bats). He was second on the team in hits with 20 and led the team by a wide margin in walks, with 18. That helped him to a team-best .481 on-base percentage and a .940 OPS, which also led the team (min. 20 at-bats). Alcantara also hit two home runs and stole three bases in his first 20 games with Iowa. He did not miss a beat in his first game back last night, going 3-for-5 with a double, a home run and three runs batted in out of the leadoff-spot. Alcantara registered his first three-RBI game with Iowa and his third multi-RBI game of the season. With the three hits, he raised his batting average on the season to .348.

TOP OF THE ORDER: Sergio Alcántara and Andrew Romine combined to register seven of the 12 total hits for Iowa last night out of the top two spots. Hitting third was major league rehabber David Bote, who added two more hits to that total. Both Alcantara and Romine were just one hit shy of the cycle; a triple away for Alcantara and a deep fly shy of the cycle for Romine. The two went 7-for-10 with four runs, two doubles, a triple, a home run and four runs batted in. Neither of them walked, but they also both didn't strike out, making contact in each at-bat they had.

NASTY STUFF: In just his third start since Chicago said they wanted to stretch him back out, Justin Steele had yet another great outing for the I-Cubs. It was his longest outing of the season, going a complete four innings, allowing just two runs, one earned, on two hits. It was the first earned run he has allowed since moving to the starting role, and just the second and third hits. The southpaw had a little bit of trouble with his command, walking three batters, but was able to pitch around the free passes, using four strikeouts to get out of trouble.

SEEING THE BALL: David Bote played in the fifth game of his rehab appearance last night, registering his first two hits with Iowa so far. He is now hitting .125 (2-for-16), with a double, a run batted in and three walks compared to four strikeouts. The infielder saw the ball much better last night, getting an RBI double and taking a walk. Despite making an error at third base for the second consecutive game, he also made some nice plays at third, looking more comfortable both at the plate and in the field.

GET BACK IN THE WIN COLUMN: Tonight's starter for Iowa, Adrian Sampson, suffered a loss last time out against Toledo. For Sampson, it was the first loss he took since June 12 against Columbus. In between the two losses, the righty won four of his five starts, all four consecutive wins including two in the same series against Indianapolis. He has gone five or more innings in each of his last eight starts, but has also had trouble with the long ball, allowing at least one home run in seven of those eight games. Sampson will look to get back into the win column tonight and give Iowa the chance to win a series before heading back to Principal Park.

THE DREADED THIRD: Columbus scored two runs in the third inning last night on a two-run shot, tying the game at that point. Those two runs allowed by Iowa marked 58 total runs allowed in the third inning this season. That total makes the second inning the highest scoring inning in terms of runs allowed by I-Cubs pitchers, followed closely by the fourth inning, with 57 runs. The next closest inning to those two is the second inning, 17 runs lower at 40.

AGAINST COLUMBUS: Iowa got right back into the series with a 9-4 win last night, tying the series at two games apiece. The I-Cubs lost five-of-six at home against the Clippers, so the season series is now sitting at a record of 7-3 in Columbus' favor. Iowa is now out-scoring the Clippers 31-22 this series, but trails the season series by just two runs now, at 62-60.

THAT'S MORE LIKE IT: Entering the ninth inning on Wednesday, Trent Giambrone was 0-for-20 with two runs batted in, two walks and eight strikeouts over his last eight games. In the ninth inning, the utility man hit a single to right-center field, trying to start a rally for Iowa. He didn't end up scoring to extend the game for Iowa, but the single got it going for Giambrone, who continued to hit in Thursday's game against the Clippers. He went 2-for-4 with a run scored Thursday, registering his third two-hit game of the season, and first since July 6 against St. Paul. After having a stretch where he went 0-for-20, the Metairie, Louisiana native has recorded three hits in his last five at-bats.

SHORT HOPS: Last night's win marked just the second win of the season for Iowa when allowing their opponent to score four runs, they are now 2-6 when allowing four runs...the I-Cubs moved to 3-0 when Justin Steele starts for them, despite Steele not going deep enough in any of the starts to receive a decision...the two-run home run last night for Trayce Thompson was his second of the series, and 10th home run of the year with Iowa. The outfielder has five solo shots and five two-run long balls...after last night, Tommy Nance moves to a perfect 8-for-8 in retiring the first batter he's faced in an outing this season.

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