July 2 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Toledo Mud Hens
IL Iowa Cubs

July 2 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Toledo Mud Hens

Published on July 2, 2026 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (3-5, 33-47) vs. TOLEDO MUD HENS (6-2, 40-42)

July 2 - 6:05 PM CT - Fifth Third Field - Toledo, OH

RHP Andrew Wantz (2-3, 6.31) vs. RHP Matt Seelinger (2-1, 4.10)

TONIGHT'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and the Toledo Mud Hens are set to play the third game of a six-game series at Fifth Third Park tonight...right-hander Andrew Wantz is set to make his fifth appearance and second start for the I-Cubs...right-hander Matt Seelinger is scheduled to open for Toledo.

FALLING ON WEDNESDAY: The I-Cubs fell 7-4 to the Toledo Mud Hens last night... Ben Cowles led the Iowa offense as he went 3-for-4 with an RBI... BJ Murray went 1-for-3 with two runs scored and hit his 10th home run of the season...starter Doug Nikhazy took his fourth loss as he allowed five runs on two hits across 0.1 innings... Collin Snider (1.1 IP), Drew Pomeranz (1.0), Liam Hendriks (1.0) and Vince Reilly (1.0) each made a scoreless appearance.

TRI: Chicago Cubs' No. 9 prospect James Triantos ended his hit streak at 14 games yesterday...he batted .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 .432 (19-for-44) with four doubles, two triples, three home runs and five RBI in his last 11 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 is one of 13 players in all of minor league baseball with at least 10 home runs and a .325 batting average and one of four in Triple-A.

THE GRAND BALL: Outfielder 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...Alcántara's grand slam was one of four grand slams 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).

VETERAN PRESENCE: The I-Cubs saw Liam Hendriks and Aaron Bummer make their first appearances for Iowa...Bummer tossed an inning and allowed a run and Hendriks pitched a scoreless frame with two strikeouts.

BALLY, BALLY: Catcher Moises Ballesteros is slashing .265/.426/.353 (9-for-34) with three doubles and nine RBI in his 10 games with Iowa since being optioned...Ballesteros 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 had an RBI in four consecutive games, one shy of the longest such streak for an Iowa Cub this season (BJ Murray, 5).

BATEMAN!: I-Cubs outfielder Brett Bateman has reached base safely in 17 of his last 21 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 fifth in the International League in on-base percentage (.418) and sixth in walks (48).

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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