July 1 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Toledo Mud Hens
IL Iowa Cubs

July 1 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Toledo Mud Hens

Published on July 1, 2026 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (3-4, 33-46) vs. TOLEDO MUD HENS (5-2, 39-42)

July 1 - 6:05 PM CT - Fifth Third Field - Toledo, OH

LHP Doug Nikhazy (0-3, 9.14) vs. RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (2-3, 4.39)

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and the Toledo Mud Hens are set to play the second game of a six-game series at Fifth Third Park tonight...left-hander Doug Nikhazy is set to make his 11th appearance (seventh start) for Iowa...right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long is scheduled to start for Toledo.

TEAM GAME: The I-Cubs scored a 3-1 win over the Toledo Mud Hens yesterday... Will Sanders tossed 6.0 innings of one-run ball and allowed just two hits with five strikeouts... James Triantos tallied two hits (both doubles) to give Iowa their lone multi-hit effort... Jayden Murray tossed 2.0 scoreless innings and Luis Peralta worked a scoreless frame and earned the save.

TRI: Chicago Cubs' No. 9 prospect James Triantos extended his hit streak to 14 yesterday and is batting .382 (21-for-55) with nine runs, six doubles and 11 RBI during the stretch...as noted by I-Cubs broadcaster Jason Kempf, Triantos has never hit more than 24 doubles in a season or had more than 52 RBI, he has 20 doubles and 44 RBI in just 72 games...just two other players in the International League have matched James' 87 hits and 17 stolen bases, Gwinnett's Jim Jarvis and Nashville's Luis Lara.

BJ BALLIN': I-Cubs infielder BJ Murray is batting .439 (18-for-41) with four doubles, two triples, two home runs and four RBI in his last 10 games...last Wednesday marked the second time Murray has had back-to-back three hit performances this season, last doing so April 21-22 vs. Louisville...BJ is also the first I-Cub to have at least five triples in a season since Donnie Dewees also had five in 2019...BJ ranks among International League leaders in triples (T-1st, 5), batting average (2nd, .325), on-base percentage (3rd, .424), OPS (3rd, .958), hits (T-4th, 87), total bases (5th, 143), extra-base hits (5th, 33) and doubles (T-6th, 19).

THE GRAND BALL: Kevin Alcántara hit the seventh grand slam of the season for Iowa last Wednesday, surpassing the season total the I-Cubs have had for grand slams over the last two seasons...the most grand slams Iowa has hit in a season since 2017 is eight, done in 2023...Kevin's grand slam was one of four grand slam Iowa hit during their 12 game homestand in Des Moines after Owen Miller hit one on June 16, Ben Cowles hit one on June 17 and Jonathon Long hit one on June 19.

WILL THE THRILL: Iowa Starter Will Sanders continued his dominance since coming off the injured list on June 12...in his last four starts, Sanders has gone 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA (6 ER in 21.0 IP) with 23 strikeouts...he has pitched at least 5.0 innings in each of those starts...during this time frame ranks among International League leaders in wins (T-1st), strikeouts (2nd), innings pitched (2nd, 21.0), WHIP (2nd, 0.76), average against (3rd, .164) and ERA (6th).

BALLY, BALLY: Catcher Moises Ballesteros is slashing .290/.442/.387 (9-for-31) with three doubles and nine RBI in his nine games with Iowa since being optioned...Ballesteros has walked twice in three consecutive games, becoming the first I-Cub to do so since Miles Mastrobuoni from May 6-11, 2023 (also three)...Bally also has an RBI in four consecutive games, one shy of the longest such streak for an Iowa Cub this season (BJ Murray, 5) and is tied for the longest active streak in the International League.

BATEMAN!: I-Cubs outfielder Brett Bateman has reached base safely in 17 of his last 20 games, including a season high 11-game hitting streak from June 6-19...in the month of June, Bateman batted .316 (24-for-76) with 14 runs scored, four doubles, seven RBI, and 17 walks...Brett currently ranks second in the International League in on-base percentage (.427) and sixth in walks (47).

VS. TOLEDO: The I-Cubs and the Mud Hens are meeting for the second time this season after meeting June 1-7 at Principal Park...Toledo won the series 4-1, with the series finale being cancelled due to inclement weather...James Triantos has played 27 career games vs. the Mud Hens and is batting .343 (37-for-108) with 11 doubles, one home run and 11 in those games.

POSITIONLESS BASEBALL: On Sunday, Iowa position players Scott Kingery and Christian Bethancourt pitched for Iowa, combining to throw 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit...Bethancourt struck out Buffalo's lead off hitter Jay Harry with a 94 MPH fastball...this was the second time in the series Iowa pitched two position players in a game after Catchers Eric Yang and Casey Opitz pitched on Thursday...Kingery became the first I-Cub pitcher to homer in a game since Tyson Miller on August 26, 2019.

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