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August 12 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs at Omaha Storm Chasers

August 12, 2023 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (64-46) @ OMAHA STORM CHASERS (50-58)

Saturday, August 12 - 5:35 PM - Werner Park - Papillion, NE

RHP Tyler Duffey (4-0, 3.71) vs. RHP Joe Barlow (0-0, 4.15)

TONIGHT'S GAME: Iowa and Omaha are set to play game five of their six-game set tonight, with Iowa currently leading the series four games to none. The I-Cubs will send Tyler Duffey to the mound looking for their fifth consecutive victory. Duffey enters tonight's game with a 4-0 record and a 3.71 ERA in 21 games with Iowa this year, having made one start. The righty has allowed 11 earned runs on 14 hits and 16 walks in his 26.2 innings pitched, striking out 28 batters over that span. Opponents have hit just .161 against him in his 21 games. In two games against the Storm Chasers this year, the 32-year-old has not allowed a hit, walking two batters and striking out one in 3.0 innings pitched. Opposite of Duffey will be righty Joe Barlow taking the ball for Omaha. Barlow is set to make his first start of the season and first since making three in Rookie Ball back in 2016. In just two games with Omaha this year, Barlow holds a 4.15 ERA, allowing two earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three in 4.1 innings pitched. He spun 2.1 scoreless innings against Iowa back on Wednesday, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out one.

TOOK THE SERIES: Last night's 9-4 win gave Iowa four straight victories over the Storm Chasers, officially winning the series with two games still left to play. The series win gave them six road series wins on the year, tying their mark for series victories at home. They have split one series and lost three on the road compared to two splits and two losses at home. Their six series wins on the road is one more than they have won in each of the last two seasons combined (5), winning three road series in 2021 and two in 2022. Their 12 series wins overall is also one more than their total series wins over the last two seasons combined (11), as they won five series in 2021 and six total series last season.

EIGHT IS GREAT: After scoring eight runs in a single inning in both Wednesday and Thursday's victories, Iowa came up short of an eight-run frame last night. They did, however, score eight runs over two consecutive innings. Iowa got on the board with three runs in the sixth and followed that up with a five-run seventh inning to take a commanding 8-1 lead. Their three runs in the sixth all came on RBI singles from Edwin Ríos, Darius Hill and Luis Vazquez. In the seventh, they showed some power to bring home runs, as Matt Mervis and David Bote clubbed back-to-back home runs. Vázquez and Bryce Windham also had RBI singles to complete the five-run frame.

HIGGINS KEEPS HITTING: Since returning to Iowa, P.J. Higgins has been a staple in Iowa's successful offense. The catcher is slashing .357/.417/.667 with four home runs and 13 RBI. Higgins has recorded a hit in three straight games after his two-hit game on Thursday. In two games against Omaha, Higgins is 3-for-10 with two runs scored, one double, one home run, six RBI and two walks. His six RBI are the most in a two-game stretch in his entire eight-year career. Higgins leads Iowa with his .357 average, .667 slugging percentage and 1.084 OPS. Behind the plate, Higgins has not allowed a passed ball in 97.0 innings. He boasts a .333 caught stealing percentage as he's hosed two runners in six stolen base attempts. His percentage is the highest among Iowa's active roster.

GETTING LENGTH: Iowa got five innings out of two pitchers that have been relievers all season last night, as Michael Rucker and Anthony Kay combined to throw 90 pitches. Rucker started the game, marking just his 44th start in 128 career games. It marked back-to-back starts for Rucker, who has filled into the spot-start role nicely. After throwing three scoreless innings on Saturday against Toledo, the righty allowed one run on four hits and two walks while striking out five in his three innings last night. He was followed by Kay, who delivered two perfect frames. The southpaw struck out four of the six batters he faced, earning his second consecutive win. His two wins this series against Omaha moved his overall record on the year with Iowa to 2-0, while holding a 4.02 ERA.

DOING HIS THING: Last season, Darius Hill finished the season tied for the most hits in all of Minor League Baseball, with 166 between Double-A Tennessee and Iowa. The outfielder had the most hits for a Cubs minor league player since DJ LeMahieu had 174 hits in 2010. This year, it has been somewhat of a different story for Hill, who has struggled to find playing time with a prospect-filled outfield in Iowa. Despite playing in just 66 games around a stint on the development list, the 25-year-old has continued to hit when given the opportunity. Last night marked his first start since July 28 and Hill went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in, a walk and a strikeout. In 23 less games with Iowa this year than he played last year (89-to-66), the Dallas native has just six less doubles (23-to-17), two less triples (4-to-2), one less home run (3-to-2), one less RBI (35-to-34) and has drawn three more walks (24-to-21). Tonight will mark the first time he has started in back-to-back games since starting in three straight from July 7-9 against St. Paul.

AGAINST OMAHA: Iowa officially clinched the series with their victory last night, giving them four straight wins against the Storm Chasers. In those four wins, the I-Cubs are outscoring the Storm Chasers by 37 runs, at 47-10. Iowa is averaging 11.75 runs per game while Omaha is averaging just 2.5. Their four wins to start the current series now makes it six straight wins over Omaha dating back to July 2-3. Iowa's win last night gave them 10 this year against the Storm Chasers, moving to 10-4 on the year including going 8-2 overall at Werner Park this season. The I-Cubs are now 333-299 all-time overall against Omaha, going 154-162 all-time on the road.

SHORT HOPS: With last night's 9-4 victory, Iowa is now 31-0 this year when scoring nine or more runs, going 11-0 when they score nine runs and 20-0 when they score 10 or more...despite starting the month of August with a 1-5 record, Iowa has now moved their record in the month to an even .500 mark at 5-5, winning the first four games at Werner Park...dating back to 1998, eight road wins against Omaha is the second-highest mark all-time for Iowa; they won nine games against the Storm Chasers in 2021 when they played 18 games at Werner Park and went 7-1 on the road against Omaha in 2019...last night was Iowa's 32nd win on the road, giving them 32 wins at home and on the road this year...after entering the series with 11 home run in 61 games, Matt Mervis hit his third home run of the series last night, giving him now 14 deep flies in 65 games with Iowa this year.

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