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April 9 Game Notes: Iowa at Buffalo

April 9, 2022 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (1-3) @ BUFFALO BISONS (3-1)

Saturday - 1:05 PM ET - Sahlen Field - Buffalo, NY

RHP Caleb Kilian (0-0, -.--) vs. RHP Bowden Francis (0-0, -.--)

TODAY'S GAME: After a double header sweep by Buffalo last night, they have a chance to take the series with a win today, entering the game with a 3-1 series lead. Taking the ball for Iowa to try and get Iowa back in the win column will be Caleb Kilian. The No. 4 overall prospect and top pitching prospect in the Cubs' system is set to make his Triple-A debut against the Bisons. Opposite of Kilian will be righty Bowden Francis getting the start for Buffalo. Francis went 6-4 with a 4.19 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) for the Bisons last year, holding his opponents to a .209 batting average against him.

SAFE AT HOME: The Iowa Cubs have been active on the base paths through their first four games - a perfect five-for-five in stolen base attempts so far - and Donnie Dewees wasted no time in joining the action. In his first game of the season for Iowa, Dewees logged his first steal in dramatic fashion by swiping home plate. Dewees, who has led his team in stolen bases in three out of five professional seasons, is the first I-Cub to steal home since August 24 of last season, when Trent Giambrone accomplished the feat in the first half of a doubleheader against Omaha. Before that, however, the last Iowa player to steal home was Logan Watkins on August 6, 2016.

KILIAN IT: Taking the ball for Iowa today in his Triple-A debut is the Cubs' No. 4 prospect, Caleb Kilian. In just his third season of professional ball, Kilian is the youngest member of the I-Cubs' rotation and the only one of the five without MLB service time. Despite his relative inexperience, Kilian has made quite an impression so far; he is 7-4 with a 2.09 ERA (27ER/116.1IP) in 26 Minor League contests, including 25 starts, at four levels. The righty allowed just one unearned run in 2019, completing his first pro season with a spotless 0.00 ERA, and followed it up with a 2.42 mark in his sophomore season. To add to his resumé, he struck out 129 batters and issued just 15 walks over 116.1 innings in his first two seasons, holding opponents to a meager .197 average. Kilian joined the Cubs' system from San Francisco last July as half of the return for Kris Bryant, and today will mark just his fifth appearance for a Cubs affiliate.

SETTING THE BAR: Mark Leiter Jr. threw four innings in the second game of the double header last night. Although he suffered the loss, the righty dealt on the mound, limiting Buffalo to just one run on four hits. He walked one batter compared to striking out seven, good for 44% (7-of-16) of the total batters he faced. With his four innings, Leiter Jr. set the bar for the longest outing of the season by any I-Cub starter this year, previously set by Cory Abbott with 2.2 innings on Opening Day.

WHERE'D THE OFFENSE GO? Iowa scored eight runs on 10 hits Wednesday night but combined to score just two runs on eight combined hits in last night's double header. However, the other three games they have played, it has been a struggle from an offensive standpoint. In the other three games, the I-Cubs have combined to score four runs on just 11 hits. After last night's games, Iowa had the second lowest batting average as a team (.178) in the entire Triple-A, behind only the Columbus Clippers. They have also had a lot of swing and miss, striking out 45 times as a team in their first four games. Their 45 strikeouts are the third most in Triple-A and they have accumulated those 45 strikeouts in just 118 at-bats, striking out in 38% of their at-bats. The two teams ahead of Iowa in strikeouts have 30 and 35 more at-bats respectively. Through the first four games of the year, Iowa is averaging 1.4 strikeouts per inning after punching out 11 times in the season opener, 16 times in their win on Wednesday, and 10 and eight times in each of their seven-inning double headers last night. Nine of Iowa's 15 position players have struck out two or more times in a single game at least once in the first four games.

DOING THEIR PART: Although the I-Cubs are 1-3 through the first three games of the season, their bullpen has been doing their job. In six combined innings pitched last night, they allowed just two earned runs on four hits, all in one inning. Through the first four games of the season, the bullpen has the lone win of the season for Iowa, going 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA. They have recorded 20 strikeouts over 18.1 innings pitched and have yet to allow a home run. This compared to the starters, who are 0-3 on the year with a 6.75 ERA. Iowa's starting pitchers have surrendered three home runs and struck out 13 batters over 10.2 innings.

AGAINST BUFFALO: After losing both games last night, Iowa is now 109-103 all-time against Buffalo, holding a 60-43 mark at home while going 49-60 on the road against the Bisons. Down 1-3 in the six-game series, the best Iowa can hope for is to come out of Buffalo with a 3-3 series tie, while the Bisons will go for the series win today.

SHORT HOPS: The double header sweep marked the first time Iowa has been swept in a double header since August 22, 2018, against Colorado Springs...Iowa has compiled six errors through their first four games, good for second in Triple-A...the I-Cubs are tied for the worst fielding percentage in Triple-A (Rochester) entering today's game, with a fielding percentage at .951.

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