I-Cubs Still Looking for Way Out

Round Rock hasn't had any trouble getting into the jet stream above Principal Park. The Express have belted four homers in two games including a back-to-back pair Friday night off of Casey Coleman that were the difference in the 4-3 contest. But the home team remains homerless, having split the first half of a four-game set to open the season.

RR started southpaw Martin Perez and the only hit he surrendered to an Iowa lefty in six innings of work was Brett Jackson's two-out, opposite field, off-the-wall triple in the fifth that went for naught. Jackson later drew a bases-loaded walk.

Trailing 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh Iowa mounted a threat that brought Anthony Rizzo to the plate with the bases loaded, one out and the score 4-2. Rizzo, facing LH reliever Mike Kirkman, singled to center. With Tony Campana the runner aboard at second the score was sure to be tied, right? Wrong! Instead the crowd was fit to be tied when CF Leonys Martin gunned Campana down at the plate on the play that decided the outcome.

For the second night in a row Campana was in the middle of everything, like a brat at a birthday party. Twice he was thrown out on the bases, having been caught stealing earlier after drawing a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first. Later he played a liner perfectly off the wall and turned a sure double into a 7-4 putout with a strong throw. In the middle of the seventh inning sequence he laid down his second bunt hit in as many games. 

Wellington Castillo almost got the I-Cubs off and (home) running with a double high off of the center field wall that scored Ty Wright in the fourth but that was it other than the uprising snuffed out by Martin's erasure of Campana.

Coleman was working in the mid-90's and fanned five without walking anyone in his five innings but four of the five hits off of him were doubles or home runs so he remains who we thought he was.

The Iowa bullpen hung up four more zeroes. That's seven in two games. I'm wanting to start calling them the Goose Egg Gang but it's early. 

Tags: 
Iowa Cubs update
Submitted by Mike Wellman on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 9:43am
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Comments

Submitted by Cubster
on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 10:37am

Muskat tweets...
Cubs lineup vs Nationals: (Gio Gonzales is a lefty, so it's an all righty lineup)

Johnson RF, Mather 3B, Castro SS, Soriano LF, Baker 1B, Soto C, Byrd CF, Barney 2B, Garza P
------------
Lopez is in Cubs clubhouse and available today. Corresponding move won't be made until game time

However, Luis Valbuena is not on Cubs lineup sheet. May be waiting to see if clears waivers

LaHair is better and could pinch hit today. Expected to start Sunday.

Submitted by Charlie
on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 11:12am

A lineup that includes Johnson, Mather, Baker and Barney. It happened sooner than I thought it would.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 10:40am

Mike: couple things:

- What kinds of speeds and movement is Maine showing?

- Is Corpas using the Swiss Army arm-slot approach still as AZ PHIL mentioned? Is he so far just using smoke and mirrors for his outs, or is he really keeping the ball down with some velocity?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 10:52am

Coleman was working in the mid-90's

I think the gun is a little hot there in Iowa.

Submitted by chuck
on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 11:41am

The speed gun at Iowa typically registers 2-3 miles slower than the one in Chicago. Noticed this when guys have been promoted from Iowa

Submitted by Mike Wellman
on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 12:54pm

it is generally thought to be a couple miles slow & I factored that into my report; maybe it's been recalibrated for this year...

Submitted by Rob G.
on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 1:07pm

fair enough, Coleman has a lot trouble topping 90, so mid-90's would be major news.

Submitted by Mike Wellman
on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 1:47pm

I was maybe being inadvertently sensational...maybe now it's running hot; he was hitting 94 on the scoreboard speedometer, fwiw...

Submitted by Mike Wellman
on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 1:50pm

whatever the velocity the meat of the RR lineup found it to be just right!

Submitted by Cubster
on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 10:55am

Is Corpas using the Swiss Army arm-slot approach
---
I predict. Manny Corpas will wind up as the Cubs closer by July.

(puts Blue Kool-aid pitcher down)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9UxnYUDzvcw/TzMjYZZ...

Submitted by Mike Wellman
on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 12:57pm

if Swiss army slot means sidearm/slingshot then yes, he is...Maine has generally been effective @ Iowa & done poorly when called up...he looked strong Thursday night

Submitted by Jumbo
on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 4:14pm

Coleman was working in the mid-90's and fanned five without walking anyone in his five innings but four of the five hits off of him were doubles or home runs so he remains who we thought he was.
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Coleman is who we thought he was. And that's why we took the damn field. If you want to crown him, then crown his ass!

Submitted by JoePepitone
on Sat, 04/07/2012 - 5:58pm

~clap~ ~clap~

Submitted by Ryno
on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 7:22am

Nice :)

Submitted by Mike Wellman
on Mon, 04/09/2012 - 11:34am

exactly...

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