May 31 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Syracuse Mets
May 31, 2025 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release
IOWA CUBS (28-24) vs. SYRACUSE METS (25-30)
Saturday, May 31 - 6:08 PM CT - Principal Park - Des Moines, Iowa
RHP Frankie Scalzo Jr. (1-1, 10.95) vs. RHP Brandon Sproat (1-4, 6.31)
TONIGHT'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs will take on the Syracuse Mets in the fifth of a six-game series...Frankie Scalzo Jr. is slated to his second Triple-A start of the season, with the last coming on May 10 at Toledo...Syracuse will start Brandon Sproat, who is the Mets' No. 2 prospect according to MLB.com...Sproat will make his 11th start of the 2025 campaign.
ALL THAT POWER: The Iowa Cubs snapped their three-game losing streak with a 8-5 win over the Syracuse Mets last night...the I-Cubs hit four home runs, two from Jonathon Long, Kevin AlcaÃÂntara and Carlos PeÃÂrez...Will Sanders earned the win in his Triple-A debut and worked 5.0 innings and allowed four runs on six hits with six strikeouts...Nate Pearson and Gavin Hollowell combined for 3.0 scoreless relief innings.
WELCOME, WILL!: Right-handed pitcher Will Sanders made his Triple-A debut last night and earned the win after he threw 5.0 innings and allowed four runs on six hits with six strikeouts...he became the first I-Cub to win his Triple-A debut since Connor Noland on July 21, 2024 at Memphis.
GO LONG: Jonathon Long hit two home runs last night, becoming the fifth Iowa Cub with a multi-homer game this season, joining Matt Shaw (2), Moises Ballesteros (2), Chase Strumpf (2) and Kevin AlcaÃÂntara...it marked the second multi-homer game of his career with the other coming on July 23, 2024 vs. Birmingham with Double-A Knoxville... Long ranks among International League leaders in hits (1st, 64), batting average (2nd, .352), total bases (T-2nd, 102), OPS (4th, .980), RBI (4th, 39), slugging percentage (5th, .560), runs scored (T-6th, 34), OBP (8th, .420).
R. MARTIN: Reliever Riley Martin has gone 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA (4 ER in 23.1 IP) with 35 strikeouts in 16 outings this season...Riley has not allowed an earned run in his last 11 appearances (17.1 IP) since April 18...among International League pitchers who have thrown at least 20.0 innings, his ERA ranks eighth.
THE GAUNTLET: Iowa has played 29 of their 50 games this season (58%) against teams that are above .500...they have gone 18-11 (62%) vs. such teams this season which is the best record against teams that are above .500.
VS. SYRACUSE: Iowa and Syracuse will face off just once this season in a six-game series this week...both teams met in 2024...Iowa lost four of six games played in Syracuse last year.
HEY, IT'S FRANKLIN: Outfielder and Cubs' No. 25 prospect Christian Franklin hit the second leadoff of the season for Iowa last Friday night (last - 5/15, Matt Shaw)...Franklin also tallied a career-high five RBI last Thursday...it is tied for the second-most RBI in a game this season by an I-Cub following Jonathon Long on May 14 vs. St. Paul (6)...the four hits also marked a career high...since May 11, Franklin is batting .392 (20-for-51) with nine extra-base hits and seven RBI...his 32 walks also rank tied for fourth in the International League this season.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?: Despite being in fifth place in the International League West Division, the I-Cubs (+53) just ahead of next-closest Nashville (+52)... the two teams are ahead of next best Memphis (+34)...just one other team has a better run differential than Iowa in the entire International League being Lehigh Valley (+100) who have posted a 38-16.
OWEN CAISSIE BOBBLEHEAD: Tonight, the first 1,000 fans will receive an Owen Caissie bobblehead...Owen is the No. 3 prospect in the Cubs' system according to MLB.com and is batting .238 (38-for- 160) with 10 doubles, seven home runs and 19 RBI.
BACK-TO-BACK FASHION: The Iowa Cubs have hit two back-to-back home runs this season...first one came against the St. Paul Saints on April 16 as Chase Strumpf and Carlos PeÃÂrez hit back- to-back homers off of Corey Lewis... the second one occurred last night against the Mets as Jonathon Long and Carlos PeÃÂrez hit back-to-back homers off Anthony Gose.
International League Stories from May 31, 2025
- Melendez Homers Twice as Chasers Top Saints - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Norfolk Swept By Lehigh Valley In Doubleheader - Norfolk Tides
- 'Pigs' Pitching Punches Out Season-High 16 to Quell Tides - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- IronPigs Sweep Twin Bill to Become First Team to 40 Wins - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- Rosario, Alfaro Homer in Sounds 8-4 Loss to Indians - Nashville Sounds
- Iowa Falls in Game Five vs. Syracuse - Iowa Cubs
- Knights Battle Back Late But Fall in the End - Charlotte Knights
- Syracuse Pounces on Iowa Early En Route to 6-4 Mets Victory on Saturday Night - Syracuse Mets
- Schnell Walks off Columbus Again, Cocos Locos Make It Six in a Row - Rochester Red Wings
- Bulls' Late Comeback Effort Falls Short in 9-8 Defeat to Redbirds - Durham Bulls
- Slam Stings Bats Again in 7-5 Loss at Toledo - Louisville Bats
- Barco Stifles Sounds as Indy's Offense Explodes for Eight Runs - Indianapolis Indians
- Hens Win Seventh Straight with Yet Another Grand Slam - Toledo Mud Hens
- Memphis Snags Second Series Victory of Road Trip with Win at Durham - Memphis Redbirds
- Saints Three-Game Win Streak Snapped in 5-2 Loss to Storm Chasers - St. Paul Saints
- Another Tough Loss for the Clippers Saturday - Columbus Clippers
- McCarty Walks off for Bisons in 5-4 Victory over Charlotte - Buffalo Bisons
- Jack Winkler Becomes Fourth Jacksonville Alumnus in Seven Days to Make his Major League Debut - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Batten Homers, Daniel Goes Seven Strong in Stripers' 3-1 Win - Gwinnett Stripers
- Jumbo Shrimp Fall 3-1 to Stripers - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- WooSox Shut out at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Fall 3-0 - Worcester Red Sox
- Baseball Giveaway, 'Play Catch on the Field' for Bisons' Father's Day Game, June 15 - Buffalo Bisons
- RailRiders Blank Worcester - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Knights Drop Both Games in Thursday's Twin Bill - Charlotte Knights
- Baldwin Breaks Late Tie, Knights Top Bisons - Charlotte Knights
- May 31 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Syracuse Mets - Iowa Cubs
- Andrew Hoffmann Makes MLB Debut with Kansas City Royals - Omaha Storm Chasers
- SWB RailRiders Game Notes- May 31, 2025 - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- WooSox Fall to RailRiders on Friday Night - Worcester Red Sox
- 'Play Ball Weekend' Free Clinic with Willie Hutch Jones Educational & Sports Program Returns on Saturday, June 14 - Buffalo Bisons
- Hernandez Becomes Third Jacksonville Alumnus to Make MLB Debut in Six Days - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Fan Guide to Saturday's Star Wars Night, Episode XVI as Bisons Host Knights - Buffalo Bisons
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