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July 2 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs at Omaha Storm Chasers

July 2, 2023 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (45-31) @ OMAHA STORM CHASERS (39-36)

Sunday - 2:05 PM (G1) - Werner Park - Omaha, NE

GAME ONE: RHP Chris Clarke (0-2, 2.95) vs. RHP Brad Keller (0-1, 54.00)

GAME TWO: RHP Nick Neidert (3-3, 5.74) vs. LHP Cole Ragans (0-0, -.--)

TODAY'S GAMES: The Iowa Cubs and Omaha Storm Chasers are set to take the field for a double-header for games four and five of their six-game series today. In game one, Iowa will send righty Chris Clarke to the mound, set to make his 10th start and 12th appearance of the year for the I-Cubs. Through his first 11 games, Clarke is 0-2 with a 2.95 ERA, allowing 12 earned runs on 29 hits and 13 walks in his 36.2 innings pitched. The 25-year-old doesn't strike many batters out, as he has fanned just 29, but he doesn't allow many hits either, limiting opponents to a .220 batting average against him this year. Tonight will mark the first appearance for Clarke against the Storm Chasers. Opposite Clarke will be right hander Brad Keller. Keller will be making just his second Triple-A appearance this season as he was sent to Omaha on a Major League rehab assignment on June 28. His lone outing came earlier this week on Wednesday afternoon versus Iowa. He tossed just 0.1 inning, allowing two runs on four walks and no hits. Keller suffered the loss in that outing, his only career appearance versus Iowa. Before being placed on the Injured List for right shoulder impingement syndrome, he played in nine games with Kansas City, tallying a 3-4 record with a 4.36 ERA. In game two of today's twin bill, Nick Neidert will get the starting nod, making his first start since being placed on the Development List last week. The righty ranks second among Iowa's active roster in innings pitched (58.0), is tied for fourth in strikeouts (45) and fourth in starters ERA (5.74). Neidert previously made a start versus the Storm Chasers on April 13 where he went 5.0 innings and allowed just one run on four hits. His two strikeouts compared to no walks helped him earn his first win of the season. Today marks his fifth career start against Omaha. He holds a 5.92 ERA and 1-2 record all-time versus the Storm Chasers. Starting for Omaha in game two will be Cole Ragans who is set for his first career start as a Storm Chaser. The righty started the season with the Texas Rangers where he made 17 appearances, recording a 5.92 ERA and 2-3 record. He was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on June 13 and made three starts there. He totaled a 2.79 ERA over 9.2 innings of work before being traded to the Kansas City Royals in a deal including Aroldis Chapman. Ragans was assigned to Omaha upon the trade. Today will be his first career start against the I-Cubs.

FINISHED STRONG: Iowa started the month of June with a 1-5 record, falling all the way to six games above the .500 mark, at 31-25. They hit that same mark two more times in the month, 32-26 on June 8 and 34-28 on June 13. After their loss to Indianapolis on June 13, Iowa rattled off five straight wins and nine wins in 10 games, bumping up to a season-high 14 games above even, at 43-29. After June 13, the I-Cubs held a record of 11-3, moving their overall record in the month of June to 15-11. They went 10-6 at home and 5-5 on the road in the month, with their 15 total wins tying April (15-8) for the most wins in any month all year.

IN HIS RETURN: After starting the season with Double-A Tennessee, Luis Vazquez earned his promotion to Iowa earlier this week. He made his season debut on Wednesday afternoon where he recorded a single in his first at-bat for his first Triple-A hit of the season. Vázquez has appeared in each game since, going 3-for-10 (.300) with one run, one home run, four RBI and two walks. The infielder came up big on Friday night, knocking in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth. 2023 marks his third season playing with Iowa as he was on the roster in 2022 and 2019 as well. He played in 27 and 11 games in those previous seasons, respectively. Across his seasons with Iowa, Vázquez has slashed .203/.242/.333 with three home runs and 12 RBI. In just three games in 2023, he has accounted for one third of his career home runs and one third of his career RBI as an I-Cub.

WICKS' DEBUT DAY: Cubs' No. 5 overall prospect Jordan Wicks made his long-anticipated Triple-A debut on Friday night in Omaha. The lefty went 4.1 innings where he allowed three runs on five hits. Wicks struck out four hitters compared to just two walks. He never allowed more than one run in an inning, with single runs scoring in the first, second and fifth. Wicks was quick to getting his first career strikeout, getting a whiff from John Rave on a sinker. His start resulted in a no-decision, so he will continue the hunt for his first Triple-A win next week in his expected Principal Park debut.

THE COMEBACK KINGS: The Iowa Cubs have been no strangers to having a dramatic finish in one of their games. During last month's two-week homestand alone, they had three walk-off wins in 12 games. On Friday night, Iowa made their 21st comeback win of the season. Heading into the top of the ninth inning, the I-Cubs trailed by one run. A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases for the I-Cubs to start the rally. They scored the go-ahead run on a Luis Vázquez two-run single. They scored an extra insurance run on a fielder's choice play the following hitter. The I-Cubs allowed just one run in the bottom half of the ninth to secure their 6-5 comeback victory. At this time last season, the I-Cubs had made just 17 comeback wins.

AGAINST OMAHA: With their comeback win last night, Iowa regained the 2-1 series lead over Omaha, moving to 4-3 this year against the Storm Chasers. After splitting their rain-shortened series at Iowa back in April 2-2, Iowa has now taken two of the first three here in Omaha. The win put Iowa's all-time record against Omaha at 327-298, going 148-161 all-time against Omaha on the road.

SHORT HOPS: Entering tonight's game, Iowa's starter Chris Clarke has allowed two or less earned runs in all 11 of his games for Iowa so far this year... Matt Mervis' two-run home run last night marked Iowa's 100th home run of the year as a team...With last night's win, Iowa moved to 4-23 when trailing after seven innings and 4-25 when trailing after eight frames.

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