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August 31 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Memphis Redbirds

August 31, 2024 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (58-72) vs. MEMPHIS REDBIRDS (63-67)

Saturday, August 31 - 6:08 PM CT - Principal Park - Des Moines, IA

RHP Cam Sanders (1-2, 7.96) vs. RHP Gordon Graceffo (9-7, 4.55)

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and Memphis Redbirds play the fifth of a six-game series tonight at Principal Park...it marks the penultimate homestand of the season before the finale vs. Louisville Sept. 10-15...right-hander Cam Sanders is scheduled to make his 25th outing with Iowa tonight...Cam will be making his first start since July 22, 2022 with Double-A Tenneessee at Montgomery...right-hander Gordon Graceffo is slated to make his 24th start for Memphis tonight...he has made one start with St. Louis this season.

BACK ON TRACK: The I-Cubs were back to their winning ways last night as they scored a 6-2 win over Memphis...starter Trey Supak earned his fourth win as he worked 5.0 shutout frames and struck out a season-high eight batters... Gavin Hollowell made his first outing with Iowa and tossed a scoreless frame in relief... Trayce Thompson and Chase Strumpf each homered for Iowa.

TRAYCE OF EVIDENCE: Iowa outfielder Trayce Thompson hit his 22nd home run of the season last night and his second in his last three games...Thompson's 22 home runs rank tied for fifth-most in the International League this season trailing leader Luke Baker (32) who is currently on the St. Louis Cardinals active roster.

THE BIG O: Cubs No. 3 prospect Owen Caissie tallied his first multi-homer game of the season Sunday at Toledo as part of a three-hit effort...marked his first such game since Aug. 1, 2023 vs. Chattanooga with Tennessee and the fifth of his career.

SCORING CHANGE: On Tuesday, catcher Moises Ballesteros hit a sharp ground ball to the shortstop and the play was called an error...after review, the scoring was changed to a hit, giving Moises a multi-hit game as he went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

HIT PARADE: In just 5.1 innings Thursday night, Iowa allowed 22 hits which marked a season-high and the most they have allowed since they also surrendered 22 hits on June 2, 2011 at Nashville...the franchise record for hits allowed for the I-Cubs is 25 set on June 9, 2007 vs. New Orleans.

COOL JAMES: Infielder and Cubs No. 5 prospect James Triantos snapped his hitting streak at eight games last night...he batted .364 (12-for-33) with three doubles, five RBI and five stolen bases during the streak...James has 130 hits and 46 stolen bases this season between Double-A Tennessee and Iowa and is the first Cubs' minor leaguer to have such numbers since Tony Campana in 2010...Triantos started his stint with Iowa going 0-for-8 but is batting .329 (23-for-70) since Aug. 8 and has hit in 16 of his 18 starts with Iowa.

VS. MEMPHIS: Iowa and Memphis are matching up for the second series of the season as the Triple-A version of Cardinals vs. Cubs...Iowa's win last night secured at least a series split...the I-Cubs have gone 5-2 against Memphis this season and but have been outscored by a 33-21 (-12)...five of the seven games have been decided by two runs or less.

BIRDSELL STRIKEOUTS: Wednesday night's starter Brandon Birdsell earned his third win with the I-Cubs and pitched 6.0 scoreless innings...he has gone 3-1 with a 1.82 ERA (6 ER in 29.2 IP) in five starts in August...Birdsell has struck out at least five batters in five straight games, the longest such streak by an Iowa pitcher since Caleb Kilian did so in seven straight game from July 14-Aug. 23, 2022...Brandon tallied his third game with at least nine strikeouts this season in his last start on Aug. 22 at Toledo.

UPHILL: After recording the longest losing streak of the season from July 23-Aug. 1 (nine games), Iowa has gone 15-10 in their last 25 games dating back to Aug. 2...the I-Cubs last three series have been six-game splits with First Half Champions Omaha (Kansas City) and Columbus (Cleveland) and a win over Toledo (Detroit).

ALL THE SMALL THINGS: Iowa improved to 26-18 in one-run games this season with their 4-3 win Tuesday night...the I-Cubs have played the most one-run games in the International League this season (44) ahead of next-closest Jacksonville (42).

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