April 9 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Omaha Storm Chasers
Published on April 9, 2026 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release
IOWA CUBS (7-4) vs. OMAHA STORM CHASERS (5-6)
April 9 - 12:08 PM CT - Principal Park - Des Moines, IA
RHP Will Sanders (1-0, 2.79) vs. RHP Aaron Sanchez (0-2, 18.00)
TODAY'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and the Omaha Storm Chasers are set to play the third of a six-game series at Principal Park today...right-hander Will Sanders is slated to make his third start of the season and second at home for Iowa...right-hander Aaron Sanchez is scheduled to pitch for Omaha.
RUNS GLORE: The Iowa Cubs offense exploded for 12 runs on 11 hits in yesterday's game in a 12-4 win over Louisville... Pedro Ramírez, BJ Murray Jr. and Eric Yang all homered in the game...Ramírez, Jonathon Long, Murray Jr., and Yang all had multi-hit efforts with Yang having three...starter Charlie Barnes earned his third win of the season as he worked 5.0 innings and allowed two runs on four hits with four strikeouts... Ethan Roberts tossed a scoreless frame in relief.
BIG WILLIE STYLE: Today's starter Will Sanders earned his first win as he pitched 6.0 innings of two-run ball with six strikeouts...he is the first I-Cubs pitcher this year to toss at least 6.0 innings and first since Walker Powell on Sept. 19, 2025 vs. Toledo...also marked the first seven strikeout game by a starter since Austin Gomber on Sept. 12, 2025 at Indianapolis.
HOMER HAPPY: The I-Cubs have homered in 10 straight games, which is the longest such streak in the International League this season ...marks the club's longest such streak since they homered in 12 straight on June 25-July 8, 2025...Iowa leads all of Triple-A with 21 home runs, ahead of next closest Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (17).
HERE'S JONNY: Cubs No. 7 prospect Jonathon Long batted .235 (4-for-17) after four games in March is since batting .375 (13-for-41) in six April games, including five straight multi-hit games ...it marks his longest such streak of his career and the longest by an I-Cub since Owen Caissie did so in five straight games from July 3-8, 2025...no I-Cub has had six straight multi-hit games since Kevin Alcántara from June 27-July 3, 2025.
MASHING: Cubs No. 9 prospect (MLB.com) Pedro Ramírez had two extra-base hits yesterday including his fourth home run of the season...eight of Pedro's 14 hits this season have gone for extra bases and he is batting .367 (11-for-30) in seven April games...Ramírez ranks among International League leaders in total bases (1st, 30), extra-base hits (T-1st, 8), home runs (T-3rd, 4) and RBI (T-3rd, 11).
CONGRATS, RILEY: Cubs left-handed Riley Martin made his Major League debut Monday at Tampa Bay, throwing a scoreless frame...Riley made 105 appearances with Iowa over the course of four seasons...he was added to the 40-man roster this offseason after he went 6-2 with a 2.69 ERA (19 ER in 63.2 IP) and 80 strikeouts.
THE JAGUAR: Cubs No. 4 prospect (MLB.com) Kevin Alcántara homered in back-to-back-to-back games for the first time in his professional career from April 4-7...he is one of two players in the International League to do so this season along with teammate Chas McCormick ...Kevin ranks among International League leaders in home runs (T-1st, 5), extra-base hits (T-1st, 8), total bases (4th, 27), slugging percentage (5th, .750)...Alcántara has an extra-base hit in four straight games, which is tied for the longest such streak in the International League and longest by an I-Cub since Owen Caissie (5) from July 3-8, 2025.
IOWA OAKS: Today, the Iowa Cubs will wear their Iowa Oaks jerseys...the Iowa Oaks uniforms take us back to our roots, the Oaks (1969-1981) derived their name from their first affiliation with Oakland, before retaining the identity through the years during affiliations with the Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox.
ETHAN OUT OF THE 'PEN: Right-handed reliever Ethan Roberts tossed a scoreless inning out of the bullpen yesterday...in his last 22 Triple-A appearances dating back to June 26, 2025, Ethan has gone 1-1 with a 1.33 ERA (4 ER in 27.0 IP) with 32 strikeouts.
International League Stories from April 9, 2026
- Sanchez Homer Dooms Bulls in Ninth - Durham Bulls
- Charlotte Comes Close But Redbirds Hang on Late - Charlotte Knights
- Sounds Snatch Five Late-Inning Runs, Beat Stripers 6-3 - Gwinnett Stripers
- Julks and Jung Home Runs Lead Toledo to Victory over St. Paul - Toledo Mud Hens
- Memphis Becomes First Team in Professional Baseball to 10 Wins - Memphis Redbirds
- IronPigs Steamroll Red Wings to Snap Mini Skid - Lehigh Valley IronPigs
- RailRiders Walk off Durham - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Red Wings Halted by IronPigs in Thursday Night Tilt - Rochester Red Wings
- Esmerlyn Valdez Extends On-Base Streak with Solo Homer - Indianapolis Indians
- Top 30 Prospect John Klein Solid in Start, But Three-Run Fifth Hurts Saints in 5-3 Loss to Mud Hens - St. Paul Saints
- Dominant Start from Daniel Powers 5-1 Bats Win - Louisville Bats
- WooSox Blank Columbus, 5-0, to Improve to 8-3 on Season - Worcester Red Sox
- Knights Pitcher Duncan Davitt Headed to Chicago - Charlotte Knights
- Back and Forth Battle Gives Syracuse First Win of Week at Buffalo Thursday - Syracuse Mets
- Gibson Strong In Extra-Innings Loss - Norfolk Tides
- Bisons Defeated by Syracuse 5-4 on Thursday Afternoon - Buffalo Bisons
- Jumbo Shrimp Rally to Edge Tides 3-2 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Marlins' 2025 NL All-Star Stowers to Join Jacksonville on Rehab Assigment - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- SWB RailRiders Game Notes- April 9, 2026 - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Jumbo Shrimp Homestand Highlights, April 14-19 - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- April 9 Game Postponed - Iowa Cubs
- April 9 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Omaha Storm Chasers - Iowa Cubs
- Rochester Red Wings Game Notes - April 9 at Lehigh Valley - Rochester Red Wings
- Bisons Drop Exciting Lineup of Promotional & Giveaway Additions to 2026 Event Schedule - Buffalo Bisons
- DeVito and Stellato at Polar Park this Saturday - Worcester Red Sox
- Tom Backemeyer Named Louisville Bats' New General Manager - Louisville Bats
- Registration Opens for Jumbo Shrimp Youth Baseball Clinics - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Cosmic Baseball Adds Third Game to Toledo Stop - Toledo Mud Hens
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