Friday night, while the focus was on the big trade developing between the Cubs and A’s, Kris Bryant and Javier Baez hit home runs in the same game in Iowa’s disappointing loss to Oklahoma City. Arismendy Alcantara’s hitting streak came to an end with a 0-for-4 night at the plate.
Javier Baez hit a long homer in the first inning and Kris Bryant went yard in the fourth inning, a solo shot to right field. Friday night marked the first time Bryant and Baez hit homers in the same game for the Iowa Cubs.
Javier Baez went 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk. Baez hit the 12th longball of his season, a mammoth shot in the first inning that left the park. Baez walked his next time up before striking out in each of his final two at bats. Baez is hitting .333/.465/.576 over the last 10 games with five doubles, one home run, nine walks, 10 strikeouts and a 1.041 OPS.
Baez started turning his season around in June. After a rough start to the year, Baez hit .275/.345/.471 in 28 games last month with six doubles, a triple, four home runs and a .815 OPS. Baez is working counts better with an improved approach at the plate.
Kris Bryant collected three more hits Friday night. Bryant went 3-for-4 with a home run and a double. The home run was Bryant’s seventh in an I-Cubs’ uniform and he has hit six doubles in 17 games at the Triple-A level.
In just 17 games with Iowa, Bryant is 23-for-63 with six doubles and seven home runs with seven walks and 19 strikeouts … .365/.429/.794/1.222.
For the season, Kris Bryant is batting .357/.452/.720 in 85 games between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa with 26 doubles, 29 home runs, 77 RBI, 224 total bases and a 1.173 OPS.