May 29 Game Notes - Iowa at New Orleans

Iowa Cubs (32-21) at New Orleans Baby Cakes (28-25)
Wednesday, May 29 • 6:30 PM • Shrine on Airline • Metairie, LA
RHP Matt Swarmer (4-4, 4.89) vs. RHP Zac Gallen (6-1, 1.74)

TONIGHT'S GAME: Wednesday's game marks the final game of 16 against New Orleans on the year and the final meeting beWith a win tonight, the I-Cubs would even the season series at eight wins a piece. Iowa is looking for their fourth straight win against the Baby Cakes on their current road trip.
HEATING UP: After hitting just .175 in 13 games from May 11 to May 25, utility man Ian Happ is heating up again. In his last three games, Happ is hitting .385 (5-13) with a double and a home run. Overall, he is hitting .236 on the year with 30 free passes, good enough for eighth in the PCL.
SO NICE THEY DID IT TWICE: Ian Happ and Donnie Dewees hit back-to-back dingers in the eighth inning last night off Parker Bugg. It was the second back-to-back brigade for the I-Cubs since Addison Russell and Phillip Evans accomplished the feat on May 5 off Omaha's Andres Machado. 
MAY DAY: Iowa is 18-11 in May, marking the first time the club has reached 18 wins in the month of May since going 18-12 in 2008. Last night's win is also the first time the I-Cubs have won 18 or more games in a month since August of 2015 when the team was 22-8. 
LEADING THE PACK: Three I-Cubs remain in the top-10 in walks - Dixon Machado (1st, 35), Phillip Evans (2nd, 33), and Ian Happ (8th, 30). Among the pitching ranks, Colin Rea sits in the top-10 in ERA (3rd, 2.77), wins (t-1st, 6), winning percentage (t-3rd, .857), and innings (7th, 55.1).
STROP SAYS NOPE: Right-handed reliever Pedro Strop began his major league rehab with the I-Cubs Tuesday night against New Orleans. In six pitches, all for strikes, Strop allowed one hit, but then forced a double play and a fly out in the eighth inning to keep the Baby Cakes off the board. Strop is the sixth Chicago Cub to serve a rehab assignment for Iowa this season. 
AGAINST NEW ORLEANS: New Orleans leads the season series over Iowa by one game, 8-7. The I-Cubs have taken the past three games from the Baby Cakes and look to split the season series with a win tonight in the final matchup between the two teams on the year. Iowa's 3-5 clip vs. the Baby Cakes at Principal Park this season was its worst home record against New Orleans since matching the score in 2013. 
SHUT DOWN: For the first time in 2019, Iowa shutout their opponent Tuesday night in a 3-0 victory over New Orleans. Starter Colin Rea threw seven innings of three-hit ball, followed by Pedro Strop and Junichi Tazawa. The I-Cubs won five shutouts last year, their last coming on August 29. Prior to last night, Iowa was one of two PCL teams without a shutout on the season. Nashville now stands alone with an 0-4 shutout record. 
STING REA: Iowa starter Colin Rea has been sharp to start 2019, holding a top-5 ranking in three separate categories in the PCL. The righty is now 6-1 on the year with a 2.77 ERA in 10 games. He has won his last three games and spun at least 5.0 frames in every start but his first of the year. Rea also got it going from the plate last night, hitting a double and scoring the first run of the game to get the I-Cubs rolling. Rea's 7.0-inning start last night was his longest since June 6, 2016, prior to Tommy John surgery. 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Iowa's 21-7 record in road games this season is the best in the PCL. Iowa's road winning percentage ranks third in all of Minor League Baseball, trailing Advanced-A DownEast (21-4) and Single-A Delmarva (19-4). The I-Cubs are 13-3 on the road in the month of May compared to just 5-8 at Principal Park this month.
SHORT HOPS: Iowa won their fifth game while scoring four or fewer runs on Tuesday.