May 5 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Columbus Clippers
IL Iowa Cubs

May 5 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Columbus Clippers

Published on May 5, 2026 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (15-17) vs. COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (17-16)

May 5 - 6:38 PM CT - Principal Park - Des Moines, IA

LHP Ty Blach (2-1, 3.86) vs. LHP Ryan Webb (0-3, 6.95)

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and the Columbus Clippers are set to play the first of a six-game series at Principal Park tonight...left-hander Ty Blach is set to make his fourth appearance of the season (second start)...Columbus is slated to start left-hander Ryan Webb is scheduled to start for St. Paul.

PUT THAT ONE BEHIND US: The I-Cubs dropped the finale of the series Sunday vs. St. Paul by a 8-7 score... Pedro Ramírez led the Iowa offense as he went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI... Kevin Alcántara hit his 12th home run of the season to give the I-Cubs their lone home run...starter Jordan Wicks made the start and allowed six runs on nine hits with four strikeouts across 3.2 innings... Ethan Roberts worked a scoreless frame and faced the minimum despite a walk...Iowa dropped four of the six games in the series.

THE JAG: Kevin Alcántara hit his 12th home run of the season Sunday, which leads the International League and leads all minor league players...Kevin's career-high in home runs is 17, which he accomplished last season in 102 games with Iowa...he also has homered in back-to-back-to-back games this season for the second time, following April 4-7...he is the only player in the International League to have two home streaks of at least three games and is one of two players in all of minor league baseball, along with Portland's Franklin Arias.

KEEP IT IN THE PARK: Saturday, the I-Cubs surrendered seven home runs in a 16-2 loss...it marked the most by Iowa since they gave up eight on April 16, 2025 vs. St. Paul...it is tied for the most surrendered by an International League team this season along with Toledo whom Louisville hit seven homers off of on April 14...the I-Cubs lead all of minor league baseball with 59 home runs allowed.

VS. COLUMBUS: The Iowa Cubs are playing their third series vs. Columbus this season...they opened the season at Principal Park going 1-2, before splitting a series in Columbus 3-3.

VOTE FOR PEDRO: Today, I-Cubs infielder Pedro Ramírez was named International League Player of the Month for April...he is the first Iowa Cub to earn the award since Christopher Morel in April of 2023...Ramírez slashed .323/.398/.625 (31-for-96) with 24 runs scored, six doubles, one triple, seven home runs and 28 RBI...he led the International League in home runs, RBI, runs and total bases during this span...he recorded eight RBI on April 22 vs. Louisville which matched a franchise record done three other times by Ian Stewart (2013), Tom Eagan (1973) and Larry Haney (1971)...marked the most RBI in a International League game since Toledo's Eduardo Valencia also had eight on Sept. 4, 2025 at Lehigh Valley.

WALK THIS WAY: Cubs No. prospect (MLB.com) Brett Bateman went 1-for-4 with a run scored and a walk on Sunday...it marked the ninth straight game he has earned a free pass in, becoming the first Iowa Cub to do so since data was made available in 2005...in addition it is tied for the longest such streak in the International League along with Gwinnett's Jim Jarvis from April 14-24.

HE GET'S ON BASE: I-Cubs infielder B.J. Murray Jr. went 1-for-4 with two RBI and a walk...he is batting .347 (33-for-95) this year which ranks third in the International League...he also ranks among IL leaders in OPS (4th, .994) and on-base percentage (6th, .436)...across his last 18 games, Murray Jr. is batting .382 (26-for-68) with 11 runs, six doubles, one home run, 14 RBI and 10 walks.

ETHAN IN RELIEF: Cubs' reliever Ethan Roberts, who is with the I-Cubs on Major League rehab assignment, has tossed 8.1 innings and allowed just two earned runs (2.16 ERA) with 10 strikeouts in seven appearances this season...he has made three Big League outings this year and has thrown 2.2 scoreless frames...last season, Ethan went 2-4 with a 2.16 ERA (10 ER in 41.2 IP) and 54 strikeouts in 36 appearances (one start).

Check out the Iowa Cubs Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



International League Stories from May 5, 2026


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central