IL Iowa Cubs

Iowa Powers Past Omaha, 20-1

August 9, 2023 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


PAPILLION, NE - The Iowa Cubs (62-46) had themselves a game as they took game two of the series against the Omaha Storm Chasers (50-56) in dominant fashion on Wednesday night from Werner Park.

It didn't take long for Iowa to get on the scoreboard, and it did so with four home runs in the top of the first inning. P.J. Higgins sent the first long ball of the frame deep to left center for a two-run shot. Matt Mervis immediately followed with a solo home run of his own to go back-to-back. A few batters later, Luis Vazquez brought in three runs with a deep fly to left center as well and Yonathan Perlaza sent one over the wall with a two-run blast. When all was said in done in the half inning, the I-Cubs had an 8-0 lead.

After the scoring barrage in the first inning, the two squads went scoreless until the fifth. A fielding error from Omaha's third baseman Nick Loftin allowed Vazquez to cross the plate and increased Iowa's lead to 9-0.

In the sixth, Chase Strumpf decided to get in on the home run party as he sent a three-run homer to left field to make it 12-0, Iowa.

It wasn't just the offense that was on point for the I-Cubs either. The Iowa pitching staff had it going as it held the Storm Chasers to just four hits in the ballgame. Shane Greene got the start and finished with a final line of 3.0 scoreless innings, no hits, one walk and three strikeouts. Luke Little followed Greene with 2.0 scoreless, hitless innings of his own with three strikeouts. Stephen Gonsalves also recorded a scoreless inning with just one hit allowed, a walk, and three strikeouts.

The biggest hit of the night for Iowa came in the eighth. With the bases loaded, Strumpf delivered again with a grand slam off Collin Snider. The grand slam increased the I-Cubs lead to 16-0 and marked Strumpf's second home run of the night to give him seven RBI in the game.

Omaha did eventually get on the scoreboard with a solo home run by Adeiny Hechavarría, but Iowa tacked on four more runs in the ninth with an RBI single from Pete Crow-Armstrong and Vazquez's second three-run homer of the game.

POSTGAME NOTES:

- Iowa's 20 runs marked a new season-high for runs in a game. The I-Cubs also tied their season high for home runs hit in a game with seven.

- The only two I-Cubs to not record a hit on the night were Darius Hill, who replaced Perlaza, and Jake Slaughter.

- Strumpf's grand slam was the first by an I-Cub since Slaughter did so on April 29 this season. Higgins and Mervis hitting back-to-back homers marked the first time the I-Cubs did that since Slaughter and David Bote did so, also on April 29 this season.

Iowa and Omaha will return to the diamond tomorrow night for game three of the series, with first pitch from Werner Park scheduled for 7:05 pm CT. You can listen to all Iowa Cubs games on Hope AM940 and stream them for free on the Bally Live App. For more information and tickets, visit www.iowacubs.com.

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