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June 16 Game Notes: Iowa at St. Paul

June 16, 2021 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (12-23) @ ST. PAUL SAINTS (17-20)

Wednesday - 7:05 PM - CHS Field - Saint Paul, MN

RHP Matt Swarmer (0-2, 21.94) vs. RHP Chandler Shepherd (1-2, 8.10)

TONIGHT'S GAME: The I-Cubs and Saints matchup tonight for the second game of a six-game series after Iowa took game one. Tonight, righty Matt Swarmer will take the ball for the I-Cubs, looking for his first win of the season. Swarmer hasn't faced St. Paul yet and will be making just his third start of the season at the Triple-A level. The Saints will send out Chandler Shepherd, who will make his third appearance against Iowa this year. In his first two games against the I-Cubs, Shepherd combined to throw 5.2 innings, allowing eight runs, five earned, on 16 hits. He is 0-1 with a 7.95 ERA in the two games, has struck out five and has yet to surrender a free pass.

NICE TO SEE: Joe Biagini made his fifth start of the year last night for Iowa and his first since May 22 against Omaha. Biagini was Iowa's opening day starter and was 1-1 with a 2.81 ERA in his first three starts of the year, all of which he went at least five innings. In his fourth start, Biagini went just three innings and allowed five runs on seven hits while walking three batters, all setting season high marks. The righty left the game early with an apparent injury and made his first return to the mound last night in over three weeks. Although he threw just one inning, it is a good sign for Iowa that he was able to get back into a game. Biagini threw 10 of his 14 pitches for strikes and didn't allow a base runner in his one frame.

PERFECTION FROM THE 'PEN: In his fourth game with Iowa, Scott Effross stayed perfect from the bullpen last night against St. Paul. Effross spun three scoreless frames against the Saints, including five strikeouts. The only blemish on his appearance last night was two hit-batters in his first two innings of work that he managed to pitch around. On June 3 against Omaha, in his first game with Iowa and his first at the Triple-A level, he threw a perfect inning out of the bullpen. His next two appearances with the I-Cubs were both starts, in which he took two losses. In his two starts, he allowed eight earned runs on seven hits, including two home runs. He walked two batters and struck out eight in his starts. Over his two bullpen appearances lasting a combined 4.0 innings, Effross has now allowed just two base runners on the two hit batters, while striking out five. Batters have yet to get a hit or a run off the righty when coming out of relief. Last night also marked his first win of his career at the Triple-A level, making his record with Iowa now 1-2.

GET THROUGH THREE: Matt Swarmer is set to make his third start of the season for Iowa tonight against St. Paul. In his first two starts, the righty is 0-2 with a 21.94 ERA. His first start came on June 4 against Omaha, in which he allowed seven runs on nine hits over just 2.2 innings pitched. 2.2 innings marked the shortest outing of his career since June 7, 2017, when he tossed two innings of relief for the South Bend Cubs. In his last outing, he once again managed to go just 2.2 innings, allowing six runs on six hits while walking three and striking out two. Swarmer has yet to get through three innings, and a large part of the problem is the home run ball. He has allowed five home runs on the season over just 5.1 innings of work, accounting for 10 of the 13 runs he has surrendered this season. Home runs have been a problem for him in his Triple-A career, as he allowed 36 long balls, a single-season record for an Iowa Cubs pitcher, with the I-Cubs in 2019.

JUST ENOUGH: Although Iowa managed just three hits last night in their 3-1 victory over St. Paul, they also took a season-high nine walks to get base runners on board. Their previous high of eight walks on the season had been done twice, most recently on May 21 against Omaha. All but three players took at least one walk for the I-Cubs last night, including three players who took two. Only Tony Wolters (one) and Michael Hermosillo (two) registered hits, but with nine walks, Iowa provided just enough offense to earn a win.

MAKING IT HAPPEN: Since joining Iowa's roster on June 4, Michael Hermosillo has been red-hot. In 10 games, the outfielder is hitting .394 (13-for-33) with three doubles, three home runs and 11 runs batted in. He has also taken seven walks compared to 10 strikeouts and stolen two bases. After going 2-for-4 with a double and a home in last night's game against St. Paul, Hermosillo has now reached base safely in nine of his ten games with the I-Cubs, including in each of his last eight games.

AGAINST ST. PAUL: Iowa took game one of the six-game set against St. Paul last night, bringing their overall record against the Saints to 4-9. With the win, the I-Cubs moved to 4-3 at CHS Field and broke a six-game losing streak against St. Paul after being swept at Principal Park the last time the two teams met. Iowa is 2-1 in series-openers against St. Paul, winning just their third series-opener of the year last night, their first since May 19 against Omaha.

GET SOME RUNS: Iowa notched their first victory of the year when scoring just three runs last night, after previously holding a record of 0-6 when scoring three. When the team scores fewer than four runs, they are now 3-14 on the year, including two 2-0 shutouts (one no-hitter) and last night's win. In those three wins, Iowa has registered 14 total hits and have allowed just seven. When scoring six or less runs, Iowa is 5-21 compared to when they score seven or more runs, they hold a record of 7-2.

TWO IN A ROW: Iowa has lost 18 of their last 21 games, with three victories coming after losing streaks of nine, seven and two. After last night's win, the I-Cubs have a chance to win two games in a row for the first time since May 16-21, when they won four in a row against St. Paul and Omaha.

SHORT HOPS: Kyle Ryan picked up his first save of the season last night after pitching 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit in the outing...last night marked Iowa's third win in June, they now hold a 3-10 record in the month.

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