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June 14 Game Notes: Iowa vs. Omaha

June 14, 2022 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (26-33) vs. OMAHA STORM CHASERS (29-29)

Tuesday - 6:38 - Principal Park - Des Moines, IA

RHP Cam Sanders (0-2, 3.22) vs. RHP Jackson Kowar (3-4, 5.72)

TONIGHT'S GAME: Cam Sanders will get the start in the series opener against Omaha tonight, still in search of his first win. Sanders is 0-2 with a 3.22 ERA through five starts with Iowa this year, striking out 23 batters over 22.1 innings pitched. Sanders made his Triple-A debut against the Storm Chasers, set to make his second start against them tonight. In his first start, the righty spun a season-long 5.2 innings of one-run ball, allowing just two hits while walking four and striking out nine. Taking the ball for Omaha will be Jackson Kowar, a familiar foe for Iowa. Over the last two years, Iowa has faced Kowar seven times, including six last year and one this year. In all, the righty is 3-3 with a no-decision. In his most recent start against the I-Cubs back on May 14, Kowar got his first win of the season, tossing six scoreless innings. He allowed just three hits and a walk while striking out six. That started a stretch of three straight wins for the 25-year-old before losing his most recent start on June 7. Through 10 starts this year, the righty is 3-4 with a 5.72 ERA, striking out 49 batters over his 45.2 innings pitched.

TURNING IT AROUND: Through the first 23 games of the season, outfielder Narciso Crook hit just .154 (10-for-65) with two doubles, a triple, two home runs and six runs batted in. Over that span, he had nine walks compared to 28 strikeouts and just one multi-hit game. After those first 23 games, starting back on May 26, the outfielder has caught fire, recording at least one hit in nine of his 11 games played. Over those 11 games, he has five multi-hit efforts including three, three-hit games. Since May 26, Crook is hitting .386 (17-for-44) with three doubles, a triple, five home runs and 13 runs batted in. He has a home run in each of his last three games from June 10-12, marking the third Iowa Cubs player to hit home runs in three straight games this year. With five walks in his last 11 games, he has an on-base percentage of .460 and is slugging .841, good for a 1.301 OPS since May 26. His hot stretch has raised his average on the year to .248 (27-for-109) in 34 games, tallying five doubles, seven home runs and 19 runs batted in this year.

A WAYS TO GO: With his single in the fifth inning on Sunday, Dixon Machado extended his hitting streak to a season-long 12 games. His 12-game streak marks the longest streak for any I-Cubs hitter this year, and ties Alfonso Rivas' streak from last year. Dating back to 2019, first baseman Jim Adduci had a hitting streak of 19 games spanning over a month from May 20 to June 24. Machado has led off for Iowa in 45 games this season, 40 more than any other player. Through 51 games this year with Iowa, the infielder is hitting .303 (59-for-195), scoring 29 runs with nine doubles and a home run. He has also driven in 18 runs and stolen nine bases. Machado has more walks (30) than strikeouts (27), boosting his on-base percentage up to .404, good for fifth in the International League. His ability to take walks has been a big part of what makes Machado such a great leadoff hitter for Iowa. His hit on Sunday not only extended his hitting streak to 12 games, but it also extended his on-base streak to 26 games, reaching base in every game he has played dating all the way back to May 12 against these Omaha Storm Chasers. Over his 12-game hitting streak, the 30-year-old is hitting .340 (17-for-50) with three doubles and a home run. He has driven in six while walking six times compared to just five strikeouts. His 12-game hit streak ties a career long, set back on August 15-29, 2014, with Double-A Erie.

MOVING UP IN THE LEAGUE: In their last three games at Toledo, Iowa's offense recorded 48 hits, smashing 15+ hits in each of the three contests. On Friday, they recorded six runs on 16 hits, Saturday they scored eight runs and tied a season high with 17 hits and in the finale on Sunday, they scored nine runs on 15 hits. Entering Friday's game, Iowa was ranked 11th in the International League with a .248 team average. With 48 hits over three games, their team average jumped to .256 and put them tied for third in the IL in average. They were also ranked 11th in hits with 460 entering Friday's game and are now fifth with 508. Despite all of this hitting, Iowa went 1-2 over the weekend and are now 2-4 this year when recording 15 or more hits.

HITTING MACHINE: Darius Hill did nothing but hit in Toledo, going 11-for-22 in the five games he played in. In his last three games alone, the outfielder collected two three-hit games and a four-hit game, leading to a .667 (10-for-15) average over that span. The red-hot weekend has helped Hill to the team lead (min. 30 AB's) in average (.415), on-base percentage (.455), slugging (.585) and OPS (1.040). Since joining the I-Cubs on May 31, Hill has collected 16 hits, which is more than anybody else on the active roster during that span. He has also tied for second in runs scored (8) and doubles (4) over the past two weeks. Including his three-hit day on Sunday, Hill has recorded more multi-hit games (6) than one or no-hit games (4) with Iowa so far.

OFF PITCH: On Saturday, Iowa's pitching staff completed their third shutout of the season, with four pitchers contributing to the 8-0 win over the Mud Hens. They allowed seven hits and four walks en route to the victory. On Sunday, however, it was a different story; the I-Cubs surrendered 14 runs, which is the second most they have allowed all season. Starter Robert Gsellman was followed by five relievers, and all six pitchers gave up at least one earned run in the defeat. The Mud Hens collected 13 hits, 11 of which were allowed by bullpen arms, and took three walks in the series finale. The 11 hits and 11 runs the relievers allowed both tied for single-game season highs by the I-Cubs bullpen.

AGAINST OMAHA: Iowa will welcome their I-80 rivals back to Principal Park for the second time this year, after taking five-of-six against the Storm Chasers when they played from May 10-15. The I-Cubs' 5-1 record this year against Omaha grew their all-time lead at home against Omaha to 40 games over .500, at 173-133. They are 141-157 against the Storm Chasers on the road, bringing their total all-time to 314-290. This will be the second and last series between the two teams at Principal Park this year, as their final two series will be at Werner Park from July 22-25 and September 20-24.

SHORT HOPS: Iowa lost to Toledo on Sunday by a final score of 14-9, marking the I-Cubs' first loss this year when scoring eight or more runs; they are now 11-1 when scoring eight or more runs this year...in their last two Sunday games, Iowa has allowed 12 home runs, surrendering eight on June 5 at home and four on June 12 at Toledo...Iowa added a temporary batter's eye to Principal Park that will stand for the rest of this year until they can make a permanent one; tonight will be the first home game played for Iowa with a batter's eye...the I-Cubs took one walk while striking out 11 times and recording nine runs on 15 hits in Sunday's finale against the Mud Hens.

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