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August 13 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs at Omaha Storm Chasers

August 13, 2023 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (65-46) @ OMAHA STORM CHASERS (50-59)

Sunday, August 13 - 5:05 PM - Werner Park - Papillion, NE

RHP Nick Neidert (5-5, 5.32) vs. RHP Andrew Hoffman (0-0, -.--)

TONIGHT'S GAME: The I-Cubs and Storm Chasers are set to play the sixth and final game of their series tonight, with Iowa having taken each of the first five games. Nick Neidert will take the ball for Iowa, making his second start of the series and team-leading 19th of the season. The righty is 5-5 with a 5.32 ERA in his 21 games with the I-Cubs this year, allowing 51 earned runs on 97 hits and 31 walks. He has struck out 67 batters in 86.1 innings pitched. In Tuesday's game, Neidert allowed two earned runs on three hits and one walk while striking out four in 5.2 innings pitched. Opposite of Neidert will be Andrew Hoffman taking the ball for the Storm Chasers, set to make his Triple-A debut. Hoffman is 4-6 with a 5.56 ERA in 20 games (19 starts) in Double-A this year, where he has spent the entire season. The right-hander has surrendered 54 earned runs on 95 hits and 43 walks, striking out 87 batters in his 87.1 innings pitched with Northwest Arkansas. Hoffman was acquired by Kansas City in a trade on July 11, 2022, after being drafted in the 12th round of the 2021 draft by the Atlanta Braves.

A GAME OF FIRSTS: Last night's game saw a couple of firsts for I-Cubs relievers, with Samuel Reyes earning his first career Triple-A win and Luke Little earning his first career save. Reyes, who was added to Iowa's active roster prior to last night's game, spun 3.0 scoreless innings. The righty allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out one batter along the way. Prior to his promotion to Iowa, Reyes was 3-1 with a 2.72 ERA in 23 games with Double-A Tennessee. In one game last year with Iowa, he allowed four earned runs on four hits, a home run, hit batter and a walk, taking the loss with a 21.60 ERA. Little came in and shut the door with a scoreless ninth inning, earning his first career save in 60 minor league outings. His first career save opportunity came in his Triple-A debut with Iowa, when he allowed two earned runs on three hits and two walks in one inning pitched.

THE WEEK OF THE LONG BALL: The I-Cubs are on one of their longest win streaks of the season and that's a big thanks to home runs. Iowa has hit a home run in all five games this series, smashing 15 total long balls. The week started strong with three dingers on Tuesday night, however; Wednesday night was the real derby. Iowa matched a season high with seven home runs. Both Chase Strumpf and Luis Vazquez had two-homer games. While they are the only I-Cubs to have multi-home run games this series, plenty have multiple across the five games. Matt Mervis has hit three this week, the most for any I-Cub. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Yonathan Perlaza, Strumpf and Vázquez each have two homers. The 15 home runs this week has raised Iowa's season total to 157. They rank sixth in the International League in homers and ninth in all of Triple-A.

GET OUT THE BROOMS: Iowa has a chance to sweep Omaha with a victory tonight after taking each of the first five games of the series. A win tonight would be Iowa's first six-game sweep in a series since they went to their current six-game format back in 2021. The I-Cubs were swept in a six-game series back in 2021 from May 25-30 against St. Paul, but have never handed out a sweep. They have also never won the first five games of a six-game series until this current series against the Storm Chasers.

NO MORE FIRST WEEK JITTERS: Cubs' No. 1 prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong made his Triple-A debut last week at Principal Park. He went just 3-for-20 (.150) with one run, one double, one home run, two walks and eight strikeouts. This week has been much different for the young outfielder. Crow-Armstrong is 8-for-20 (.400) with 10 runs, two doubles, two homers, three RBI, six walks and five strikeouts. Last night, Crow-Armstrong recorded a hit in each of his first two at bats, a double and a home run. He recorded two runs and an RBI along with his hits. With his strong performance this week, the 21-year-old is now slashing .275/.408/.575 through his first 10 games at Triple-A.

UNUSUAL BUT SUCCESSFUL: Iowa's starting rotation consists of only two traditional starting pitchers and three bullpen arms. Only Jordan Wicks and Nick Neidert have started more than five games this season. Chris Clarke has made 11 starts this year, but he has been utilized as a bullpen arm this week. Iowa's other starting pitchers this series have only made two starts each. Tyler Duffey, Michael Rucker and Shane Greene have completed the rotation for Iowa. While the group of five pitchers might not seem like a strong rotation to the naked eye, they've helped the I-Cubs to five straight wins. Iowa's starters have been good for 19.1 innings this week. They've allowed eight earned runs for a 3.77 ERA. The number is below the season average for starting pitchers at 4.59. Along with a low ERA, they've struck out 18 hitters while walking just six. Greene, Wicks and Rucker each gave up one run or less in their outings, with Greene throwing 3.0 shutout innings in his start. Duffey gave up the most runs last night, as he allowed four in his 2.2 innings.

AGAINST OMAHA: The I-Cubs will go for the series sweep tonight after winning each of the first five games over the Storm Chasers. In those five wins, Iowa is outscoring Omaha by 40 runs, at 54-14. Their five wins to start the current series makes is now seven straight over the Storm Chasers dating back to their series in early July. Iowa's win last night gave them 11 against Omaha this year, moving to 11-4 on the year including going 9-2 overall at Werner Park this season. Their 11 wins has put their all-time record against the Storm Chasers at 334-299, going 155-162 all-time on the road.

SHORT HOPS: Last night gave Iowa their 50th win of the season when leading after seven innings, moving to 50-1 in that category...the I-Cubs out-hit Omaha by two last night, moving to 50-8 when out-hitting their opponents this year...Iowa enters tonight's game with nine road wins against Omaha this year, tying their most road wins against the Storm Chasers in a single season dating back to 1998; they also won nine games back in 2021 when the two teams played 18 games at Werner Park...the top six hitters in Iowa's lineup last night all recorded a hit, with three of the six recording multi-hit games - the six batters collected all nine of Iowa's hits and drove in all seven runs in their 7-4 win...Iowa's bullpen was stellar last night, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out three over 6.1 combined scoreless innings.

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