IL Iowa Cubs

June 29 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Omaha Storm Chasers

Published on June 29, 2023 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (44-30) @ OMAHA STORM CHASERS (38-35)

Thursday - 7:05 PM - Werner Park - Omaha, NE

RHP Riley Thompson (2-4, 5.65) vs. LHP Ryan Yarbrough (0-0, 0.00)

TONIGHT'S GAME: The I-Cubs and Storm Chasers are set for game two of their six-game set tonight. Riley Thompson will take the mound for Iowa for his 10th start this year. He faced Omaha earlier this season on April 12, his first career matchup versus the Storm Chasers. He suffered the loss after allowed three runs on four hits and one walks. Thompson gave up a season-high two home runs in the outing as well. The righty is in search of his first win since June 16. In his last start, Thompson went 4.2 innings, allowing a career-high six walks. Opposite Thompson will be Ryan Yarbrough for Omaha. The lefty has made just one appearance this season, where he tossed 4.0 shutout innings on June 24. He kept a 0.00 ERA intact as he struck out three hitters and gave up just four hits and no walks. Tonight marks Yarbrough's first career start against the Iowa Cubs. He's played parts of four seasons at the Triple-A level making 38 starts and 39 total appearances. He owns a 3.56 ERA with 223 strikeouts in his Triple-A career.

JAKE'S HEATING UP: Iowa Cubs' home run leader Jake Slaughter extended on that lead yesterday. With a three-run home run in the seventh, the slugger brought his total to 14 on the year. He's now hit three home runs in his last six games. Slaughter had previously gone six games without hitting a home run from June 11 to June 21. He enters tonight on a three-game hit-streak where he has gone 4-for-11 (.364) with two runs, two homers, four RBI and two walks. Slaughter previously reached a 10-game streak, the second longest by any I-Cub this season, from April 23 to May 6. On the season, Slaughter leads the team in RBI (57), stolen bases (10), ranks second in walks (41), third in slugging percentage (.502) and tied for third in doubles (15). His 57 RBI are the second most in the International League this year.

KILIAN THE KILLER: Righty Caleb Kilian recorded his second straight and fifth overall win of the season yesterday. He allowed just two runs on three hits in 5.1 innings. Both runs were scored in the fourth inning. A walk and a single put two runners on for the Storm Chasers. A safety squeeze scored the first run and a double to shallow left field plated the second. Outside of those two runs, Kilian was lights out. He allowed just six base runners compared to his 21 batters faced. The righty also struck out four hitters. His win yesterday and in his last start on June 21 were his first back-to-back wins in his Triple-A career. The last time Kilian won back-to-back games was on May 22 and May 16, 2021 when he played with Advanced-A Eugene. In his last two games combined, he has allowed just six hits and two runs through 11.1 innings while striking out eight. Kilian continues to lead Iowa in innings pitched (62.2) and starts (13). In the International League, the California native is tied for second in win percentage (.833) and ranks in the top ten in two other categories.

FINALLY GOT THE FIRST: Iowa has had some troubles in series openers this season. Entering yesterday, they were 6-7 in the first game of the series this season. Yesterday's series opener victory marked Iowa's first since their opener in Nashville on May 23. Iowa lost four straight series openers from May 30 to June 20. In that stretch, they were outscored 29-15. Iowa kicked off the season with four straight series opener wins against Columbus, St. Paul, Omaha and Buffalo. Since those wins, the first game of the series hasn't been friendly for the I-Cubs.

SHUTOUT FROM THE PEN: Iowa's starter Caleb Kilian delivered 5.1 innings yesterday and left Iowa in the lead when he exited the game. Jordan Holloway was the first reliever out and inherited one base runner with one out. He induced a groundout and struck one hitter out to keep the scoreless inning and earn a hold. Ryan Jensen entered the game next, tossing 2.0 shutout innings. Jensen allowed two hits in his outing which were the only hits given up by the bullpen. Daniel Palencia closed things out by retiring the side in the ninth, striking out two hitters. Iowa's bullpen holds a 6.23 ERA through 322.0 innings this season.

DIDN'T SKIP A BEAT: As the Chicago Cubs went to England to play in the London Series last week, they took two taxi squad players with them. I-Cubs outfielder Nelson Velazquez was one of them. Yesterday afternoon was his first game back with Iowa in eight days. In the first pitch of his first at-bat, he slugged one 458 feet off the scoreboard in left field at Werner Park. The home run broke open scoring for Iowa. He went on to record a walk, another hit, another run and three total RBI. It marked Velázquez's third three-RBI game of the season and his 13th multi-hit game. The outfielder ranks second among Iowa's active roster in home runs (10), fourth in runs (34) and seventh in RBI (29).

AGAINST OMAHA: With their win yesterday, Iowa took the series lead 1-0 and the season series lead 3-2. In April, the I-Cubs and Storm Chasers split a four-game series, after two games were postponed. Iowa improved to 326-297 all-time against Omaha. They still trail 147-160 when playing in Omaha. Tonight will be game two of their scheduled six game series.

SHORT HOPS: Yonathan Perlaza extended his on-base streak to 34 games yesterday, just one game shy of the longest in the International League this season ... The I-Cubs were walked a season-high 12 times in yesterday's contest ... Iowa matched their season-high 14 games over .500 with their win ... Iowa has now won the first game of the first-half and the first game of the second-half of this season ... The I-Cubs are now 32-1 when leading after eight innings.




International League Stories from June 29, 2023


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