May 6 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Columbus Clippers
IL Iowa Cubs

May 6 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Columbus Clippers

Published on May 6, 2026 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (15-18) vs. COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (18-16)

May 6 - 12:08 PM CT - Principal Park - Des Moines, IA

LHP Charlie Barnes (3-1, 3.74) vs. RHP Rorik Maltrud (1-0, 2.60)

TODAY'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and the Columbus Clippers are set to play the second of a six-game series at Principal Park today...left-hander Charlie Barnes is set to make his seventh appearance of the season (fourth start)...Columbus is slated to start right-hander Rorik Maltrud.

THIRD IN A ROW: The I-Cubs dropped their third straight game to Columbus by a 9-6 score last night...Iowa surrendered 16 hits, one short of the season-high set on April 26 vs. Louisville... Justin Dean went 2-for-5 with a run, a double, a triple and two RBI... B.J. Murray Jr. hit his fifth home run of the season and Brett Bateman drew two walks...I-Cubs starter Ty Blach was the losing pitcher as he allowed six runs on 10 hits across 3.2 innings... Ryan Jensen tossed a scoreless inning in relief.

THE JAG: Kevin Alcántara singled in the fourth inning on a ball that had an exit velocity of 114.0 mph...it marked the hardest hit ball by an I-Cub since Owen Caissie hit a ball 115.2 mph on May 10, 2024 vs. Columbus...Kevin 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.

BIG TIME APRIL: Yesterday, 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 0-for-2 with two runs scored and two walks last night...it marked the 10th straight game he has earned a free pass in, extending his franchise record since data was made avliable in 2005...in addition, it is the longest such streak by a player in the International League since Gwinnett's Luke Waddell walked in 14 straight games from June 27-July 18, 2025.

MURRAY, MURRAY: I-Cubs infielder B.J. Murray Jr. went 1-for-5 with a run, a home run and three RBI last night...he has tallied an RBI in four straight games, tied for the longest such streak by an Iowa Cub this season...B.J. ranks among International League leaders in OPS (4th, .996), batting average (7th, .340) and slugging percentage (9th, .570).

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).

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