IL Iowa Cubs

May 4 Game Notes: Iowa at St. Paul

Published on May 4, 2022 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (12-12) @ ST. PAUL SAINTS (12-11)

Wednesday, May 3, 2022 - 6:37 - CHS Field - Saint Paul, MN

RHP Mark Leiter Jr. (0-1, 2.25) vs. RHP Ronny Henriquez (0-1, 6.35)

TONIGHT'S GAME: Mark Leiter Jr. will get the start for Iowa tonight, looking to move Iowa's winning streak to two games. Leiter will return to the Triple-A mound for the first time since April 8, when he allowed just one run over four innings to the Buffalo Bisons. Since then, the righty made four appearances for Chicago, going 0-1 with a 7.84 ERA (9ER/10.1IP). He walked seven batters compared to 10 strikeouts with Chicago. Taking the ball for St. Paul will be right-hander Ronny Henriquez. Henriquez is getting his first playing time at the Triple-A level, set to make his third appearance and second start for the Saints this year. The righty has not thrown more than three innings yet this year, going 3.0 innings in his first game on April 21 and 2.2 frames in his last outing on Thursday against Nashville. Henriquez struggled with control in that game, walking four batters over his 2.2 innings. He allowed four earned runs on three hits including two home runs.

TEAM LEADER: After his 2019 season with Iowa, Dixon Machado spent two seasons playing with the Lotte Giants in the Korean Baseball Organization. Machado returned this year and was signed by Chicago to a minor league contract on December 29, 2021. The infielder has been the most consistent source of offense for the I-Cubs this year, recording three more hits last night out of the leadoff spot. Machado is now second on the active roster in batting average and on-base percentage, raising his average to .299 with his 3-for-5 performance last night. He leads the team in runs scored (15), hits (23), walks (12) and stolen bases (8).

QUIETLY DOING THEIR PART: The main story of last night's 7-3 win for Iowa was the offense, scoring all seven of their runs in the first three innings, but the pitching did their part as well. Four I-Cubs pitchers combined to allow just three runs, two earned, on eight hits. They walked four batters and struck out seven, not allowing a single ball to leave the yard. The No. 4 overall prospect in Chicago's system, Caleb Kilian, got the start. He went four innings allowing one earned run on four hits, followed by Stephen Gonsalves who also allowed an earned run on two hits over his lone inning. From there, Aneuris Rosario and Ben Leeper kept the Saints off the board, combining to throw four scoreless frames. Rosario had two perfect innings, throwing 75% (15-of-20) of his pitches for strikes, while Leeper allowed two hits, but used two strikeouts to work around those hits. Entering tonight, Iowa's pitching staff ranks second in the International League in ERA with a 3.26, allowing just 87 runs as a group.

EXACTLY .500: With their win yesterday, Iowa moved to 1-1 in the month of May. They moved back to an even .500 on the season, standing at 12-12 overall after going 11-11 in April. The .500 records this season also line up with their all-time record in May, which is now back to an even 750-750 with last night's victory. Iowa's 750 all-time wins in May is tied for third-highest of all of the months they have played, holding 803 wins in August and 779 wins in June.

FIRST OF MANY: Nelson Maldonado recorded a three-hit game for Iowa yesterday, the first multi-hit effort of his Triple-A career. It is already his fifth three-hit game of the season, recording four with Double-A Tennessee before getting assigned to Iowa on April 27. In 12 games with the Smokies this year, the first baseman had six multi-hit games and was hitting .465 (20-for-43) with seven doubles and three home runs. In his fifth game with the I-Cubs last night, he recorded his first multi-hit game, marking his seventh of the season. He also recorded his first Triple-A extra-base hit, notching a two-RBI double in the first inning. Maldonado is now hitting .250 (5-for-20) with two runs scored, a double and three runs batted in for Iowa.

HE'S BACK: All Ildemaro Vargas needed was to take a road trip. The infielder entered this series against St. Paul with just one hit in his last five games at home. In his most recent series against Indianapolis, the switch-hitter hit .053, going 1-for-19 with three walks and two strikeouts. On the year at Principal Park, he is now hitting just .086 (3-for-35) with four runs scored, five walks and six strikeouts. Yesterday in the first game at St. Paul, Vargas went 2-for-4 with a run scored a double, one walk and one strikeout. For all of his struggles in home games this year, it has been the exact opposite when Iowa hits the road. In road games so far in 2022, Vargas is hitting .370 (17-for-46) with two doubles, four triples and a home run. In his 11 road games this year, he has scored eight times and driven in five. His last road series against Louisville from April 19-24, Vargas hit .464 (13-for-28) with an extra-base hit in all six games and two or more hits in five of the six games. He now has an extra-base in his last seven road games and a hit in eight straight road games. As a team, Iowa is hitting .020 points better on the road (.226-.206) with 13 more extra-base hits (31-18).

AGAINST ST. PAUL: After taking game one of the series, Iowa and St. Paul will meet for game two of their six-game series at CHS Field tonight. With the win last night, the I-Cubs moved to 3-2 in the first game of a series and 7-5 against American League affiliates. Last year, the I-Cubs struggled in games against the Saints, going 12-23 in the 35 games the two teams played. They were just 3-9 at home while going 9-14 here at CHS Field. Entering tonight, Iowa is on a four-game losing streak to St. Paul, being outscored those final four games last year by 15 runs, 25-10.

SHORT HOPS: Iowa's four-run first inning last night accounted for 36% (4-of-11) of their 11 total runs they have scored in any first inning this year...with a win tonight, Iowa would move to an even .500 on the road, entering tonight's game one game under the .500 mark, at 6-7...the I-Cubs broke both a three-game losing streak this year and a four-game losing streak to St. Paul with their win last night.

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