IL Iowa Cubs

June 23 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Memphis Redbirds

Published on June 23, 2023 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (41-29) vs. MEMPHIS REDBIRDS (38-34)

Friday - 7:08 PM - Principal Park - Des Moines, IA

RHP Chris Clarke (0-2, 2.84) vs. RHP Gordon Graceffo (1-2, 4.50)

TONIGHT'S GAME: The I-Cubs and Redbirds will take the field for game four of their six-game series tonight, with Iowa currently holding a 2-1 series lead. Chris Clarke will take the ball for Iowa looking for his first win of the year. Clarke enters tonight's game with an 0-2 record and a 2.84 ERA in 10 games (eight starts), allowing 10 earned runs over his 31.2 innings pitched. The righty has allowed 27 hits and nine walks compared to 27 strikeouts in those 31.2 innings, allowing opponents to hit .233 against him. Clarke is coming off what is tied for his longest outing of the year, tossing 4.0 innings allowing just one run on three hits and one walk while striking out three back on June 17. Opposite of Clarke will be Gordon Graceffo getting the starting nod for Memphis. Graceffo enters tonight's game with a 1-2 record and a 4.50 ERA, allowing 12 earned runs on 23 hits and 10 walks in his 24.0 innings pitched. He has also struck out 23 batters, with opponents hitting .250 against him through his first six games (five starts). The No. 3 ranked prospect in the Cardinals system spun just 2.0 innings in his last outing, his first game with Memphis since back on April 28.

EARLY AND OFTEN: Iowa showed what they have done for much of the season in last night's win, which is scoring runs early in the game. After scoring seven runs in the first three frames last night, the I-Cubs are now outscoring opponents by 75 runs through the first four innings of a game this year, at 236-161. Their four-run first last night gave them 61 runs in the first inning this year, the second-most they have scored in any single inning this year behind only the second inning. Iowa has crossed the plate 63 times in the second inning this year, the most runs in any inning for Iowa. Between just the first two innings alone, Iowa has scored 28% (124-of-450) of their total runs scored.

STAY HOT STRUMPF: With his solo shot in the sixth inning last night, Chase Strumpf has now homered in back-to-back games. On Wednesday afternoon, he launched a solo shot in the fifth. His two homers mark the first time he's gone back-to-back in his young Triple-A career. The long balls brought his season total up to five, ranking seventh among Iowa's active roster. Beyond just the home runs, Strumpf is 3-for-8 with three runs and two RBI in those two games. With the help of his hits the last two days, Strumpf now ranks fourth on the team in SLG (.500) and fifth in OBP (.400).

BRING IT ON BOTE: Iowa's leading utility man brought his game once again last night. David Bote extended his hitting streak to nine games with a 2-for-5 performance last night. Bote's nine-game streak is the longest active for Iowa and the eighth longest active streak in the International League. The streak is tied for the third longest by any I-Cub this season. Jake Slaughter recorded a 10-game streak and Christopher Morel an 11-game streak earlier this season. During this stretch that started on June 11, Bote is 14-for-37 (.378) with eight runs, four doubles, three homers and 12 RBI. In June, Bote is slashing .349/.447/.651.

WINNING WAYS: Iowa's 9-5 win in game three of the series last night improved their overall record to 41-29, 12 games above the .500 mark. It is the most games above .500 they have been all season, having previously reached 11 games over even three different times this year. The last time Iowa was 12 or more games over .500 came back on July 15, 2019, when they had a record of 54-41. The highest mark they reached that season was 14 games over .500 and it happened twice, once at 51-37 and again at 52-38. With their win last night, they moved back into first place in the International League West Division for the first time since June 3. Their .586 winning percentage entering tonight's game is the second-best in the International League and fourth-best in all of Triple-A baseball so far this year.

HE GETS ON BASE AN AWFUL LOT: With his three-hit performance last night, Yonathan Perlaza has now reached base safely in 30 straight games. The impressive streak is the longest active on-base streak in the International League. Across all of Minor and Major League Baseball, Perlaza's streak is the fourth longest active one. It ranks as the fourth longest among active and non-active streaks in the International League. The longest mark is 35 games this year. In his 30-game stretch from May 18 to June 22, Perlaza is slashing .328/.415/.607 with 28 runs, 19 doubles, five home runs, 24 RBI and 18 walks. Within his 30-game streak, he has had just four games in which he didn't record a hit, walking in each to extend his streak. The switch hitter recorded a season-long nine game hitting streak from May 18 to May 30. After last night's three-hits, Perlaza has 11 multi-hit games within his on-base streak.

AGAINST MEMPHIS: Iowa and Memphis will play game four of their six-game series tonight, with Iowa entering the game with a 2-1 series lead. After dropping the opener, the I-Cubs have now won back-to-back games, giving them the series lead and chance to earn at least a split tonight. With their 9-5 win last night, Iowa is outscoring Memphis by nine runs through the first three games of the series, at 22-13. They hold the season series two games to one, moving their all-time overall record against the Redbirds to 150-183 while going 95-74 all-time here at home against Memphis.

SHORT HOPS: Iowa's win last night was their 150th victory all-time against Memphis, moving to 150-183 overall all-time against the Redbirds...after their 9-5 victory in game three of the series last night, the I-Cubs are now 24-0 this year when scoring nine or more runs...four players on Iowa's active roster are currently on their longest hitting streaks of the season - David Bote (9), Dom Nuñez (5), Chase Strumpf (7) and Bryce Windham (2) - all enter tonight's game on their longest hitting streak of the year with Iowa.

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