May 7 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Columbus Clippers
IL Iowa Cubs

May 7 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Columbus Clippers

Published on May 7, 2026 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (16-18) vs. COLUMBUS CLIPPERS (18-17)

May 7 - 12:08 PM CT - Principal Park - Des Moines, IA

RHP Connor Noland (2-2, 7.43) vs. RHP Pedro Avila (1-3, 8.51)

GAME: The Iowa Cubs and the Columbus Clippers are set to play the third game of a six-game series at Principal Park today...right-hander Connor Noland is set to make his seventh appearance of the season... Columbus is slated to start right-hander Pedro Avila.

WALK OFF WINNERS: The I-Cubs snapped a three game losing streak with a 3-2 walkoff win in extra innings yesterday... Charlie Barnes threw five scoreless innings, allowing four hits and one walk...the bullpen, led by Ethan Roberts, Collin Snider, Gabe Klobosits, and Luke Little, held Columbus to just one earned run over six innings of relief... Pedro Ramírez delivered the walk off single in the bottom of the 11th inning... It marked Iowa's first walkoff win of the season, and first since a 3-2 walkoff win in ten innings on August 22, 2025 against Sugar Land...also marked the first time Iowa has scored four or fewer runs in a game this season and won (1-9)...the last Iowa win with four or fewer runs scored came in a 1-0 win on September 19, 2025 against Toledo.

THE JAG: On Tuesday, 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 tied for the lead among 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: I-Cubs infielder Pedro Ramírez delivered the first walkoff hit of the season yesterday...on Tuesday, he 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 on Tuesday...it marked the 10th straight game he has earned a free pass in, extending his franchise record since data was made avaliable 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 has tallied an RBI in five straight games after driving in a run yesterday via a sacrifice fly...this is the longest such streak by an Iowa Cub this season...B.J. ranks among International League leaders in OPS (6th, .970), and batting average (9th, .330).




International League Stories from May 7, 2026


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