July 31 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. St. Paul Saints

IOWA CUBS (43-60) vs. ST. PAUL SAINTS (51-51)

Wednesday, July 31 • 12:08 PM CT • Principal Park • Des Moines, IA

RHP Trey Supak (2-0, 2.91) vs. RHP Ronny Henriquez (1-2, 3.69)

TODAY’S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and St. Paul Saints play the second of a six-game series today at Principal Park...the series marks the third six-game set the two clubs have played this season following April 9-14 at St. Paul and June 25-30 in Des Moines...right-hander Trey Supak is scheduled to make his 13th appearance of the season and his eighth with Iowa...Supak went 3-1 with a 3.43 ERA (8 ER in 21.0 IP) in five outings (four starts) with Double-A Tennessee before being promoted to Iowa... right-hander Ronny Henriquez is slated to make his second start of the season and his 31st appearance for St. Paul.

CUTTING IT CLOSE: The I-Cubs dropped the series opener by one run last night 5-4 to St. Paul last night... Dan Straily made the start and worked 5.2 innings and allowed three runs on six hits with eight strikeouts...Michael Arias worked a scoreless inning in relief in which he struck out three and recorded seven swing and misses... Owen Caissie and Trayce Thompson both homered in the game while Fabian Pertuz and Bryce Windham tallied two-hit games.

HIT PARADE: The I-Cubs pitching staff snapped their streak of allowing 10 hits in six consecutive game last night as they surrendered eight hits last night... it’s tied for the longest such streak in the International League this season and the first time Iowa has done so since June 29-July 4, 2022 (85 hits)...the I-Cubs have not surrendered 10 hits in seven straight contests since June 3-June 10, 2007 (98 hits overall).

SIX-GAME SWEEP: Iowa was swept by the Indianapolis Indians in their last series from July 23-28 in which they were outscored 58-27 (-31)...it marked the first time the I-Cubs were swept in a six-game set since May 25-30, 2021 vs. these St. Paul Saints.

ALL THE SMALL THINGS: The I-Cubs suffered a one-run loss last night and fell to 21-16 in such games this season...Iowa has played the most one-run games in the International League during the 2024 campaign (37) ahead of next-closest Jacksonville (34).

SEVEN-GAME SKID: Iowa has lost seven straight games after being swept by Indy and dropping the series-opener last night vs. St. Paul...marks the first time Iowa has lost seven consecutive games since Sept. 1-8, 2023 and is tied for the sixth-longest losing streak in the IL this season.

MOISES COMES UP CLUTCH: Iowa Cubs No. 5 prospect (MLB.com) Moises Ballesteros hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the ninth inning of Sunday’s game...it marked the first pinch-hit grand slam for an I-Cub since Matt Spencer on Aug. 20, 2011 vs. Oklahoma City and was the first pinch-hit homer for an I-Cub in the ninth inning or later since Greg Deichmann on Aug. 18, 2021 at St. Paul (also ninth inning)...Bally has hit .292 (88-for-301) with 14 home runs and 58 RBI in 83 games between Double-A Tennessee and Iowa this season (27 games with Iowa)...he ranks among Cubs’ minor league leaders in RBI (2nd), hits (3rd), home runs (4th) and batting average (5th).

START THE STREAK: In last night’s loss, Gilberto Celestino extended his hit streak to nine games in which he is batting .351 (13-for-37)...it is tied for the sixth-longest active hitting streak in the International League this season.

SIXTH INNING BLUES: In Sunday’s loss to Indianapolis, Iowa gave up nine runs in the sixth frame, which was the most runs they have given up in a single inning this season... marked the first time Iowa has surrendered nine runs in an inning since July 18, 2019 vs. Oklahoma City (9th inning, nine runs).

MILESTONE HOMERS: Iowa Cubs infielder Fabian Pertuz hit his first Triple-A home run on Saturday off Indianapolis’ starting pitcher Luis Cessa and homered again on Sunday...it marked the first time in his career Pertuz has homered in back- to-back games at any level...in seven July games with Iowa, Fabian is batting .308 (8- for-26) with five extra-base hits and six RBI.

VS. ST. PAUL: Iowa and St. Paul are facing off for the third time this season following April 9-14 at St. Paul and June 25-30 at Principal Park...Iowa has won seven of the 12 games this season, going 4-2 during the first series and 3-3 in the following matchup.