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April 10 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs at St. Paul Saints

April 10, 2024 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (6-4) @ ST. PAUL SAINTS (5-4)

Wednesday, April 10 - 6:37 PM CT - CHS Field - St. Paul, MN

LHP Thomas Pannone (1-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Randy Dobnak (1-0, 2.35)

TONIGHT'S GAME: Iowa and St. Paul will play game two of their six-game series tonight, with left-hander Thomas Pannone set to take the ball for Iowa. Pannone has had a strong start to the 2024 season not allowing a run in 10.2 innings of work over his two previous starts to go along with 11 strikeouts compared to two walks. Opposite of the 29-year-old will be righty Randy Dobnak, set to make his second start of the year for the Saints. Dobnak made four starts against Iowa last year and went. 0-3 with an ERA of 13.40.

AGAINST ST. PAUL: With Iowa currently up in the series 1-0 after yesterday's win, the I-Cubs and Saints will play game two of their current six-game series and the second of 24 total games between the two teams this season. After yesterday's win for Iowa, the all-time series record between the two ballclubs sits at 38-46 in favor of St. Paul. In games that have been played at CHS Field, Iowa has a record of 21-27.

SUPER MASH BRO: Infielder Matt Mervis went on an offensive explosion in yesterday's game against St. Paul. The left-handed hitting slugger went 4-for-5 at the dish with a pair of runs scored, a double, a home run, and an RBI. For Mervis, it was the first home run he hit this season and his first four-hit performance of the year as well. Mervis' four hits are the most in a single game by an I-Cub so far in 2024 and it marked the first four-hit performance by any player since Pete Crow-Armstrong tallied four knocks on September 10, 2023, versus Omaha. Coming into this season, the 25-year-old was ranked as the No. 15 prospect in the Cubs' system by MLB.com and has been living up to the hype. Through nine games Mervis is slashing .344/.395/.551 with four doubles, one home run, and five RBI. With those numbers Mervis is leading the team in nearly every offensive category including average, hits (11), doubles, on- base percentage, and slugging.

¡VAMOS VÁZQUEZ!: Another I-Cub that had a big day at the plate in the win over St. Paul yesterday was infielder Luis Vazquez. The 24-year-old displayed his power as he went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and a pair of home runs. It was the first game of the season in which an I-Cub launched multiple homers and the first multiple home run game by a player since Levi Jordan hit two out of the park on September 20, 2023, at Louisville. Personally, for Vázquez it was his first multi-homer game since August 9, 2023, when he went deep twice on the road in Omaha. The No.18 ranked prospect in the Cubs' system, Vázquez started off the season on a slow note with his batting average reaching as low as .167. However, after yesterday his average is now sitting at .313. To go along with his .313 hitting clip, he has totaled four RBI, a .378 on-base percentage, and is slugging .531.

McWILLIAMS ON THE MOUND: Yesterday's starting pitcher for Iowa, Sam McWilliams, made his first start of the season and his first start since May 8, 2022, when he was playing at the Double-A level for the Chattanooga. The towering right-hander started his outing strong holding the St. Paul bats scoreless through the first three innings. However, the Saints finally started to connect as McWilliams allowed three home runs in the fourth and was pulled from the game a couple of batters later. McWilliams finished with a final line of 3.2 innings, three hits (all homers), four earned runs, three walks, and five strikeouts. McWilliams has also tallied 18 strikeouts this season, which leads the International League.

TERRIFIC FROM THOMPSON: Following McWilliams on the mound yesterday for Iowa was Keegan Thompson. The 29-year-old was impressive spinning a perfect 1.1 innings with no hits, runs, or walks allowed to go along with one strikeout. Despite a disappointing Opening Day performance against Omaha in which he allowed three earned runs off a home run. In his three outings since Opening Day, Thompson has thrown 5.0 innings with no runs allowed, one hit, a pair of walks, and six strikeouts.

EDWARDS JR. RETURNS: Another arm that Iowa used in the game against St. Paul yesterday was a familiar face in Carl Edwards Jr. The outing was the season debut for the 32-year-old. It was a brief appearance for the 2016 World Series champion as he went two-thirds of an inning with no hits allowed, an earned run, and three walks. Edwards Jr. was originally signed minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs on February 6, but was released a few days before the season began on March 24. Ultimately, he resigned with the Cubs on April 4 and was added to Iowa's roster on April 5. Last year, Edwards Jr. spent the majority of the year up in the big leagues with Washington. He appeared in 32 games tallying a record of 1-3 and an ERA of 3.69 over 31.2 innings of work with 24 strikeouts.

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