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July 27 Game Notes: Iowa vs. Louisville

July 27, 2021 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (29-40) vs. LOUISVILLE BATS (27-44)

Tuesday - 6:38 PM - Principal Park - Des Moines, IA

RHP Matt Swarmer (1-4, 7.41) vs. RHP Riley O'Brien (4-4, 4.41)

TONIGHT'S GAME: Iowa returns home tonight for the first time in more than two weeks to begin a series against the Louisville Bats. The I-Cubs finished off their last home stand with a double-header sweep of the St. Paul Saints before going 5-7 in their two-city road trip. They'll look to Matt Swarmer to get the home stand started, hoping the righty can continue the success he's had in his last three outings and pick up his second straight home win. Swarmer has gone 1-4 for the I-Cubs this season, but has pitched effectively in July, allowing just a 3.06 ERA (6ER/17.2IP) in three starts and one relief appearance in July. He'll face off with Riley O'Brien for Louisville tonight. O'Brien has gone 4-4 in 13 starts for the Bats this year, but is 2-1 with just a 2.25 ERA (5ER/20IP) in his four starts in July.

BIG BATS: Though the I-Cubs lost one of their top power threats when Michael Hermosillo was placed on the injured list last week, their other outfielders have stepped up to fill the gap in the time since. Nick Martini and Trayce Thompson both had great series in Columbus, going a combined 11-for-38 with six home runs and 13 RBI. Martini's three home runs nearly doubled his season total with Iowa, which is now at seven. It was his first three-home-run series of the season. Thompson's three home runs matched his season high for a series, which he originally set with three long balls against Columbus at Principal Park in June. He leads the team with 11 home runs on the season.

UNSTOPPABLE: Alfonso Rivas returns to Principal Park riding a seven-game hitting streak and a 25-game on-base streak, both season highs for the infielder. After going 0-for-6 in his first three games with the I-Cubs, Rivas got on track quickly and has been a force ever since. He's hit safely in 20 out of 25 games in the on-base streak, including six multi-hit performances, and has taken 18 walks. Since his streak started on June 25, Rivas is hitting .303 (27-for-89) with six doubles, four home runs, and 15 runs batted in.

BATTLE OF THE BOTTOM: At 29-40, Iowa currently sits at sixth place in the Triple-A East Midwest division, 12.5 games out of first place. They'll face off with the only team below them in the standings this week in the Louisville Bats, who are 27-44. With the exception of their nine- and seven-game losing streaks in May and early June, the Iowa Cubs have played better than .500 ball. They've gone 11-11 in July so far, including a 3-3 mark at Principal Park. Louisville enters the series on a season-high seven-game losing streak after being swept by Memphis at home. They're just 13-23 away from Louisville, which is the worst road record in the division, but Iowa is only 13-21 at Principal Park, which is the worst home record in the division.

MULTI-HIT MACHINE: Ian Miller went 2-for-3 on Sunday, marking his third multi-hit game of the series against Columbus. It was his 16th multi-hit game of the year, putting him second on the team just one spot behind Abiatal Avelino, who has 17. Against the Clippers, Miller hit .333 (8-for-24) and registered at least one hit in five of the six games. The outfielder hit two doubles and drove in six, while walking once and striking out twice. He also stole a base, good for his ninth stolen bag of the season.

CAN'T TOUCH THIS: With two or more strikeouts in each of his last five appearances, Ryan Meisinger has become a force out of the bullpen for Iowa this year. In his last seven games, the righty has allowed just one unearned run, going 1-1 with a 0.00 ERA in 7.0 innings. He has allowed four hits and three walks while striking out 12 over that span. Prior to that stretch, Meisinger struggled for a seven game stretch spanning from May 28 to June 18. He went 0-1 with a 9.58 ERA (11ER/10.1IP) while walking seven compared to striking out 14. Four of the 15 hits he allowed in that 10.1 innings were long balls, including two home runs on June 18 against St. Paul.

AGAINST LOUISVILLE: Iowa will face Louisville tonight for the first time since 1996, which is the only season the teams have previously met in. Louisville was then the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. The I-Cubs were pretty successful against them that summer, going 10-8 overall and 7-2 in Des Moines, including a four-game sweep in the final series they played that season. The Bats joined Cincinnati's system in 2000, taking over for the Indianapolis Indians as the Triple-A affiliate of the Reds. The last time Iowa faced off with a Reds affiliate was 1997.

GET BACK ON TRACK: After rejoining Iowa's roster on May 25, Dakota Mekkes pitched well, allowing four earned runs in two outings, and none in his other six games, including five straight scoreless appearances. From May 28 to June 12, Mekkes threw two or more innings in each appearance, totaling 11.0 innings over five games. He allowed just six hits and three walks while striking out 10 over that span, holding opponents to a .162 batting average against him. In his last three outings, however, the righty has gone 0-2, allowing three earned runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out three. He has not thrown more than one inning, and opponents have hit .385 while slugging .462 against him. Mekkes owns an 0-2 record with a 3.09 ERA on the year with Iowa, but is looking to start another scoreless outing streak like he was riding in early June.

SHORT HOPS: Iowa's pitchers hit a season-high five batters in Sunday's game against Columbus...the I-Cubs are 0-4 on Tuesdays at home, but 4-2 on Tuesdays on the road...the Bats are the Triple-A affiliate of the Reds, who play Chicago tonight. It is the second time this season Iowa has faced the Triple-A affiliate of the team the Cubs are playing.

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