IL Iowa Cubs

July 3 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs at Omaha Storm Chasers

Published on July 3, 2023 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


TONIGHT'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and Omaha Storm Chasers will close out their six-game series tonight at Werner Park. As they lead the series 3-2, Iowa sends Ben Brown to the mound. Brown suffered his worst start of the year his last time out on June 25 against Memphis. Brown tossed just 0.2 inning, allowing six runs on three hits and three walks. It marked a season-high six earned runs allowed. Brown moved to a record of 3-5, suffering his second straight loss in the start. Tonight will be Brown's first career start versus the Storm Chasers. After starting the season with Tennessee, he's made ten starts at the Triple-A level, the only in his career. Opposite Brown, Angel Zerpa will start for the Storm Chasers. Zerpa, in Omaha on a Major League rehab assignment, started earlier this week on Wednesday. He gave up two runs on four hits and three walks across 4.1 innings. Tonight marks his second rehab start for the Storm Chasers. He previously made three appearances with Double-A Northwest Arkansas as he rehabs and injured shoulder. Zerpa tossed 8.0 innings and amassed and ERA of 1.13 with the Naturals. Tonight is the lefty's fourth start in his career against Iowa. Across his three starts so far, Zerpa is 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA, giving up three runs across 6.0 innings.

MERVIS GOES LONG AND LONGER: Matt Mervis has played a big part in Iowa's success this week in Omaha. In his first game on Wednesday, Mervis went 2-for-4 with two runs and a walk. One of his two hits included his first triple of the season. The first baseman had a quiet Thursday recording no hits. However, on Friday, he fell right back into his mashing ways. He launched his seventh home run of the season, a 386-foot shot over the right center field wall. Mervis topped that long ball in a big way in game two of yesterday's double header. With the game tied at two, Mervis had the go-ahead run waiting for him in scoring position. He sent a ball 431 feet to give Iowa a 5-2 lead and ultimately win the game for them. The home run was Mervis' longest of the season. With his eight home runs, he is tied for the third most on Iowa's active roster. In this series, Mervis is 5-for-17 (.294) with four runs, one triple, two homers, five RBI and four walks. He has reached base at least once in each of his five games.

NEIDERT'S LOOKING NICE: Nick Neidert made his 14th start of the season in game two of Iowa's double header yesterday. He tossed 5.0 innings where he allowed just two runs on five hits while walking no hitters and striking out two. The win was Neidert's first since May 12, he made seven starts without a win. In his start on June 24 against Memphis, the righty didn't get a win but did record his first quality start of the season. He spun 6.0 innings where he allowed just one run. Neidert leads Iowa in innings pitched (63.0), starts (14) and ranks third in strikeouts (47).

SPLITTING DAYS: The Iowa Cubs played in their sixth double header of the season yesterday. In their double headers this year, they have swept twice, been swept once, and split the day now three times. Iowa's splits came yesterday versus Omaha, on June 8 against St Paul and then April 8 also versus St. Paul. With their game two win yesterday, Iowa also secured at least a series split against the Storm Chasers. In this series, the I-Cubs have won game one, three and five. A win tonight would give Iowa their ninth series win of the season, but a loss would mark their fourth series split of the season. Iowa and Omaha split their first series of the season back in April. In what was just a four-game set due to weather, each team took two games.

IT'S BEEN WINDY IN IOWA: In a league-leading Iowa offense, Bryce Windham has quietly been one of their best hitters this season. He paces the team with his .328 batting average (20-for-61). Windy has recorded 11 runs, four doubles, a triple and 15 RBI on the year. The catcher has walked ten times compared to striking out just six which has helped him to a .411 OBP which ranks second among Iowa's active roster. Windham came up big in Iowa's win yesterday. With the I-Cubs trailing by two, he stepped up to the plate as the go-ahead run with the tying run at second. Windham chopped a ball to shallow left field, knocking in two runs and tying the game for Iowa. He went on to score the go-ahead run as he was plated on a Matt Mervis three-run home run. Windy finished the day going 2-for-3 with one run and two RBI. It marked his seventh multi-hit game of the season and fourth multi-RBI game. Windham has now recorded multiple hits in 30 percent of his games (7-of-23). Beyond his offensive success, Windham has caught two runners stealing in this series versus Omaha. He threw one runner out in yesterday's contest and another on Thursday night. Omaha is just 1-for-3 in stolen base attempts when Windham is behind the plate this week.

AGAINST OMAHA: With their doubleheader split, Iowa retained their series lead, moving to 3-2 this week. The I-Cubs moved to 5-4 against the Storm Chasers this year. The win and loss moved Iowa's all-time record against Omaha to 328-299 and 149-162 on the road. A win tonight gives the I-Cubs their first series win of the season over the Storm Chasers. The teams split their rain-shortened series at Iowa back in April.

SHORT HOPS: With a hit in game one yesterday, David Bote extended his on-base streak to 17 games, the longest active streak for Iowa and eighth longest in the International League ... By striking out two hitters in the ninth, Daniel Palencia has struck out at least one hitter in nine straight games and in 17 of his 18 appearances ... Iowa's game two comeback win marked their 22nd of the season and second this series.

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