April 5 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Toledo Mud Hens
Published on April 5, 2024 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release
TONIGHT'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs host the Toledo Mud Hens tonight in the fourth of a six-game series tonight...right-handed pitcher Chris Clarke is expected to make his second start for the I-Cubs vs. the Mud Hens right-hander starter Keider Montero.
PCA LEADS IOWA TO VICTORY: The Cubs No. 1 ranked prospect and No. 16 in all of baseball (MLB.com) Pete Crow-Armstrong put on a show in the I-Cubs 5-1 win over Toledo last night...the 22-year-old went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run and two RBI, finishing just a triple shy of the cycle which has not been done by an I-Cub since Ryan Court on July 20, 2018 vs. New Orleans...Crow-Armstrong also added a stolen base (his third of the season) which gave him his eighth career game in which he has hit a home run and stole a base... he is one of two players in the minor leagues with at least five extra-base hits and three stolen bases this season, along with Nashville's (Milwaukee) outfielder Brewer Hicklen.
START ME UP: Last night, Iowa's starting pitcher Thomas Pannone earned the win as he pitched 5.2 innings and allowed just two hits, one walk and struck out seven...it marked the first win by an I-Cubs starting pitcher and was the longest outing by a starter this season...Pannone has thrown 10.2 scoreless innings this season with 11 strikeouts and is the lone pitcher in the minor leagues to have pitched at least 10.2 scoreless innings and have allowed five or less hits...Iowa's starting pitchers have posted a 1.33 ERA (3 ER in 20.1 IP) with 19 strikeouts through their six games this season...the 1.33 ERA ranks second in the International League, trailing Worcester (1.00).
FRIDAY FIREWORKS: The I-Cubs are hosting the first firework friday of the season tonight...Iowa opened up their season a week ago at Omaha and fell 5-4 in extra innings... the I-Cubs posted a 7-7 record on Friday's at Principal Park last season and went 5-7 on Friday road games, giving them a 46.1 winning percentage on Fridays in 2023.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The I-Cubs win last night gives them a 2-1 record at Principal Park this season...in the 2023 season, Iowa posted a 42-31 (.575) record at home which marked the third most home victories in the International League West division, trailing leader St. Paul who tallied a 47-27 (.635) home record...the 42 wins at Principal Park were the most by an I-Cubs team since the 2013 club went 44-28 (.611) at home.
VS. THE MUD HENS: The I-Cubs are opposing the Toledo Mud Hens (Detroit) in a six-game series for the first time this season...Iowa has won two of the three games this series, outscoring the Mud Hens 16-12...Iowa and Toledo played 18 times last season with Toledo taking the season series 11-7, outscoring Iowa 112-93 (-19)... the I-Cubs and the Mud Hens will play three six-game series against each other this year, including tonight-April 7, June 4-9 at Iowa and Aug. 20-25 at Fifth Third Field in Toledo.
APRIL SHOWERS: Iowa has won two of their first three games in April and have been led by their pitching as the staff has recorded a 2.89 ERA (9 ER in 28.0 IP) with 38 strikeouts... I-Cubs got off to a strong start last season as they posted a 16-8 record through April...Iowa won seven of their first 10 games, including each of their first four, outscoring their opponents 81-69 (+12) during that span...in 23 April games, the I-Cubs hit .292 (226-for-773) with 49 doubles, 6 triples, 39 home runs and 29 stolen bases while pitching to a 5.37 ERA (117 ER in 196.0 IP) with 218 strikeouts.
AT THE HELM: Iowa Cubs Manager Marty Pevey returns as Iowa's manager for the 12th consecutive season in 2024, extending his records of longest tenured and winningest manager in Iowa history...his 82 wins in 2023 were the second most by any team Pevey has managed, trailing the 2000 Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays, who went 84-54 (.609)... Pevey has 683 career wins with Iowa, just 17 short of the 700-mark and holds a career managerial record of 1,325-1,356.
THE BIG O: Cubs No. 3 prospect and No. 46 prospect (MiLB.com) in all of baseball Owen Caissie had his hitting streak snapped at five games last night going 0-for-3 but extended his on-base streak to six with a walk...during the hit streak, he batted .450 (9-for-20) with three doubles and five RBI and three walks...he still ranks among International League leaders with nine hits (T-6th) trailing leader Norfolk's Heston Kjerstad (16)... in 2023, Caissie slashed .289/.398/.519 (127-for-439) in 120 games with Double-A Tennessee and added 22 home runs and 84 RBI...he was named a Minor League All-Star and Double-A All-Star by Baseball America along with All-MiLB Prospect First Team and MiLB.com Organization All-Star honors... additionally, Caissie ranked among Cubs farmhands in RBI (3rd), doubles (3rd, 31), home runs (T3rd), and batting average (5th).
International League Stories from April 5, 2024
- Knights Drop Friday's Game to Tides, 11-10 - Charlotte Knights
- Iowa Comeback Falls Short Versus Toledo - Iowa Cubs
- Sounds Slip up in Loss to St. Paul - Nashville Sounds
- Peguero and Lamb Combine for Six RBI, Skenes Strikes out Six in Indians' 8-3 Win Over Redbirds - Indianapolis Indians
- Tides Hold Off Epic Comeback To Clinch Series In Extras - Norfolk Tides
- Saints Capitalize on Sloppy Sounds' Miscues in 6-5 Victory - St. Paul Saints
- RailRiders Double-up on Mets, 8-4 - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Dodd Delivers Gem in Relief as Stripers Win Thriller - Gwinnett Stripers
- Shrimp Walk by Bulls, 9-6 - Durham Bulls
- Syracuse Falters on Freezing Friday Night in Scranton, Falling 8-4 - Syracuse Mets
- Five-Run Ninth Inning Spurs Jacksonville - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Bisons and Worcester Split Friday Night Doubleheader - Buffalo Bisons
- All Phases Struggle in Friday Night Loss at Indy - Memphis Redbirds
- Clutch Hit Eludes Bats in 6-5 Loss - Louisville Bats
- Omaha Squanders Lead in Fourth Inning and Lose to Columbus, 8-5 - Omaha Storm Chasers
- April 5 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Toledo Mud Hens - Iowa Cubs
- SWB Game Notes - April 5 - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Red Wings, IronPigs Postponed Friday - Rochester Red Wings
- Grossman Called up to White Sox - Charlotte Knights
- Now We Have Two: Twins Trade with Orioles for Infielder Diego A. Castillo, Assign him to Saints - St. Paul Saints
- Jumbo Shrimp Adding Marlins' Garrett on Rehab Assignment - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Anderson's 'Kids Weekend' Returns with $10 Kids Tickets, Kids Eat Free Giveaway - Buffalo Bisons
- Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - April 5 vs. Lehigh Valley - Rochester Red Wings
- Indians Announce Doubleheader for Saturday, April 6 - Indianapolis Indians
- Storm Chasers Win Game 2 and Split Doubleheader with Clippers - Omaha Storm Chasers
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