IL Iowa Cubs

April 9 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs at St. Paul Saints

Published on April 9, 2024 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (5-4) @ ST. PAUL SAINTS (5-3)

Tuesday, April 9 - 4:07 PM CT - CHS Field - St. Paul, MN

RHP Sam McWilliams (0-0 3.68) vs. RHP Caleb Boushley (1-0, 1.59)

TODAY'S GAME: Iowa will hit the road for the second time this season but is scheduled for its first full six-game series away from Principal Park as they take on the St. Paul Saints from CHS Field. Taking the mound for the I-Cubs will be right-hander Sam McWilliams. Today will be McWilliams first start of the season and his first start at the Triple-A level since July 31, 2021, when he was a member of the El Paso Chihuahuas. McWilliams' last career start came in Double-A on May 8, 2022, as a member of the Chattanooga Lookouts. So far this season, the 28-year-old has appeared in three games for Iowa tossing 7.1 innings with an ERA of 3.68. He has allowed three earned runs off five hits with one home run, and has walked just one compared to 13 strikeouts, which leads Iowa. Opposite of McWilliams will be righty Caleb Boushley for St. Paul. Boushley has made one start this season which came on April 3 against Nashville. In that outing he went 5.2 innings allowing one run off two hits, struck out five without issuing a walk, and was credited with the win. Boushley has faced Iowa once in his career, which happened last season on May 23. The Hortonville, Wisconsin native was the starter versus the I-Cubs and lasted 3.2 innings after allowing four earned runs on three hits and issuing five walks.

AGAINST ST. PAUL: Iowa and St. Paul will face off for the first game in their current six- game series and their first of 24 total games against the Saints this season. The Saints have had the I-Cubs' number through the first three seasons they've played, holding a 46-37 record over Iowa in that time. Iowa enters today's game seven games under the .500 mark at CHS Field, going 20-27. Iowa did however claim a 14-10 record against the Saints in 2023, its first winning season against St. Paul in the three seasons the two ballclubs have played.

SUPER STRUMPF: Infielder Chase Strumpf had himself a day in Iowa's last game this past Sunday versus the Toledo Mud Hens. The 26-year-old powered the I-Cubs to a series clinching victory over Toledo going 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored, a double, a home run, and three RBI. His three-hit performance on Sunday was his first of the 2024 and the fourth by an I-Cub. Owen Caissie had back-to-back three-hit performances on March 29 and 30 against Omaha to open the season and Pete Crow-Armstrong totaled three hits on Thursday. It also marked the first three-hit outing from Strumpf since September 20, 2023, against Louisville. In the performance against the Bats a season ago Strumpf had similar numbers going 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored, a double, a homer, and three RBI. It was a good showing for the 2019 second round draft pick as he snapped a four-game slump in which he was 0-for-10 with six strikeouts. As for season numbers this year, Strumpf has played in seven games slashing .227/.346/.545 with a double, two home runs, four RBI, four walks, and 11 strikeouts.

ALL THE WISDOM: The I-Cubs had their first Major League Rehabber join the squad this past weekend with infielder Patrick Wisdom. The 32-year-old began his rehab assignment on April 6 after he was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to March 25 with a back strain. Wisdom has played in two games for Iowa and has looked sharp going 2-for-4 at the dish with a run scored and an RBI. Wisdom has been part of the Cubs organization since 2020 and has had three stints with Iowa including this year. He has appeared in 13 games for Iowa in his career and has a batting clip of .205 (8-for-39) with a pair of doubles, four home runs, and 14 RBI. Arguably Wisdom's most notable game as an I-Cub came on May 20, 2021, versus Omaha where he broke a 0-for- 14 streak by going 2-for-2 with four runs scored, two home runs, and five RBI. At the Major League level, Wisdom has appeared in 380 games hitting at a clip of .214 (247- for-1153) with 51 doubles, 80 home runs, 184 RBI, a .298 on-base percentage, and slugging .468.

STARTED AT THE BOTTOM: The I-Cubs received a huge boost from the bottom of their lineup in last Sunday's win over the Toledo Mud Hens. The six through nine hitters in the order combined to go 7-for-12 at the plate with a pair of doubles, a home run, six runs scored, and driving in six of Iowa's nine runs in the game. Chase Strumpf was the highlight hitting out of the nine-spot going 3-for-3, but Luis Vazquez also had a nice outing recording his second multi-hit game of 2024 going 2-for-3 with an RBI. BJ Murray Jr., the No. 16 ranked prospect in the Cubs organization, also contributed with his best game as an I-Cub going 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI, and a pair of walks.

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