IL Iowa Cubs

August 31 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs at Toledo Mud Hens

Published on August 31, 2023 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (71-54) @ TOLEDO MUD HENS (60-67)

Thursday, August 31 - 5:35 PM CT - Fifth Third Field - Toledo, OH

RHP Caleb Kilian (7-1, 3.73) vs. LHP Zach Logue (3-8, 6.43)

TONIGHT'S GAME: The I-Cubs and Mud Hens are set to take the diamond for game three of their six-game series tonight from Fifth Third Field. With the series tied at 1-1 after Iowa's victory last night, Caleb Kilian will take the mound for the I-Cubs. Tonight will mark the 20th start of the season for Kilian at the Triple-A level and the right-hander owns a record of 7-1 with a 3.73 ERA. Kilian has logged a total of 99.0 innings for Iowa this season and has allowed 41 earned runs off 96 hits to go along with 77 strikeouts and 29 walks. The 26-year-old has tossed two quality starts in his last three outings and has given up just one earned run in four consecutive outings. In his last six starts, Kilian has gone 1-0 with a 2.81 ERA and has racked up 29 strikeouts to just seven walks. This will be the first time this season that Kilian has faced Toledo, but in six previous matchups he is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA. As for the Mud Hens, they will give the ball the left-hander Zach Logue. On the year, Logue is 3-8 and has an ERA of 6.43. Over 70.0 innings of work, Logue has totaled 50 earned runs off 88 hits, 36 walks, 63 strikeouts, and opponents are hitting at a clip of .308 against him. This will be the third outing against Iowa this season and in his career for Logue. He has posted a record of 1-0 and 5.40 ERA versus the I-Cubs.

BRENNEN'S BACK: The I-Cubs will see the return of outfielder Brennen Davis to their roster as the 23-year-old has wrapped up his rehab assignments. Davis was placed on the injured list back on June 7 and has spent time with the Arizona Complex League Cubs and the South Bend Cubs working his way back to the Triple-A level. The second-round pick from the 2018 draft appeared in 45 games for Iowa before his injury and hit at a clip of .197 (31-for-157) with seven doubles, three home runs, 20 RBI, and stole nine bases in 12 attempts. He also had a near 2-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio with 35 strikeouts and 18 walks. Davis began his rehab work a couple of weeks ago when he was assigned to Arizona on August 17. He played in four games for the AZL Cubs and hit .455 (5-for-11) with a pair of doubles and an RBI to go along with a .500 on-base percentage and a .636 slugging percentage. In his most recent stint with South Bend, Davis tallied a batting average of .208 (5-for-24) with two doubles, a home run, and three RBI over five games. With the return of Davis to the roster, Iowa adds another top prospect to the squad as he currently ranks 19th in the Cubs' system according to MLB Pipeline.

TAKE A SEAT: The Iowa pitching stuff had it working against Toledo last night as hit held the Mud Hens to just five hits in the game and recorded a total of 16 strikeouts. The I-Cubs used six different pitchers in the contest last night and every arm used recorded at least one punchout. Chris Clarke, who was credited with the win, and Stephen Gonsalves, who opened the game, led the way with four strikeouts each. The 16 strikeouts tallied by the I-Cubs last night rank as the second most in game for the I-Cubs this season. The season high for strikeouts in a game by Iowa is 17, which was set on July 14 on the road against Columbus. On the season, the Iowa pitching staff has been one of the best in striking out opponents. The I-Cubs have racked up 1,190 strikeouts in 2023, which ranks third in the International League and averages out to 9.5 strikeouts per game.

O, CANADA: The I-Cubs added another tally in the win column as they defeated Toledo last night by a score of 7-1. The offensive leader for Iowa was none other than Jared Young. Hitting out of the two-spot last night, the Canadian national had himself a game going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two home runs, and six RBI. Young got the scoring started early for the I-Cubs last night as he launched a two-run homer in the top of the first inning. The next time he came up to the plate, he continued the power surge with a grand slam off Braden Bristo. With his two home run night, Young tied the most home runs hit in a game by an I-Cub this season, which has been achieved nine times now. His grand slam was the first by Iowa since Chase Strumpf hit one earlier this month on August 9 against Omaha. It also marked the second time in just only a weeks span in which an Iowa player went yard twice in a game as Alexander Canario hit two long balls against Indianapolis on August 24. For Young, he finally broke his homerless streak as well. The last time he hit a home run was over two months ago on June 28 when he was up in the big leagues with Chicago. His last homer at the Triple-A level came on June 24.

LITTLE IS LOCKED IN: It was a bullpen day for the Iowa pitching staff in the contest against Toledo yesterday and reliever Luke Little continued to be effective on the mound. Little was the first arm called out of the bullpen to follow opener Stephen Gonsalves and kept the Mud Hens bats silent. The lefty tossed just 1.1 innings against Toledo but did not allow a run or a hit and struck out two to go along with a pair of walks. Since his promotion to Iowa, Little has been one of the better options to come into the game. In seven games with the I-Cubs, the 23-year-old holds of a record of 1-0 with a 1.64 ERA. The 2020 fourth round draft pick has accumulated 11.0 innings of work and has allowed just two earned runs off eight hits with 20 strikeouts to seven walks. Those two earned runs that Little has allowed came in his Iowa debut and since then he has yet to give up an earned run for a six-game scoreless streak.

AGAINST TOLEDO: Iowa tied the series at one with their win last night, but they still trail 6-8 on the season against Toledo. The Mud Hens are the only team Iowa has a losing record against this season. Iowa's win last night snapped a three-game losing streak versus Toledo, the second longest losing streak of the year against them. The I-Cubs continue to trail the all-time series 18-29 and 4-10 at Fifth Third Field.

SHORT HOPS: Jared Young is the only I-Cub who has recorded four or more RBI in three games, he has 16 multi-RBI games overall...Iowa is 15-4 when Caleb Kilian is the starting pitcher, three of those losses have come in Kilian's last five starts...Last night marked the second time this month the I-Cubs have struck out 16, they previously did it on August 11 against Omaha...Iowa is now one game under .500 in the month of August, it still remains their only month without a winning record, with a win tonight they can finish the month at .500...In just 24 games with the I-Cubs, Pete Crow-Armstrong has stolen eight bases, which currently has him ranked fourth on Iowa's active roster.

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