IL Iowa Cubs

March 31 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs at Omaha Storm Chasers

March 31, 2024 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (0-2) @ OMAHA STORM CHASERS (2-0)

Sunday, March 31 - 2:05 PM CT - Werner Park - Papillion, NE

RHP Hayden Wesneski (0-0 -.--) vs. RHP Andrew Hoffmann (0-0, -.--)

EASTER SUNDAY: The Iowa Cubs play the finale of a three-game series today at Werner Park...I-Cubs right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski is slated to pitch against Omaha for the first time in his career and Andrew Hoffmann is expected make his ninth career Triple-A start and second vs. Iowa...the I-Cubs will look to avoid beginning the season 0-3 for the first time since the 2016 club started the season with a four-game skid.

A SIMILAR STORY: For the second consecutive game, the I-Cubs fell in walk-off fashion to the Storm Chasers by a 7-6 score in 10 innings yesterday...Omaha took a 6-2 advantage in the 6th inning but Iowa rallied back to tie the game at six with a four-run 9th frame, thanks to a two-run homer from Chase Strumpf, a run-scoring double by Owen Caissie and a sacrifice fly from Matt Mervis...the I-Cubs failed to score in the top half of the 10th inning and Omaha's Mike Brosseau drove in the game-winning run with a sacrifice fly to center in the bottom half of the frame.

THE BIG O: Cubs No. 3 prospect and No. 46 prospect (MiLB.com) in all of baseball Owen Caissie has made some noise in his Triple-A debut...the southpaw has reached base in eight of his 10 plate appearances with six hits and two walks...his .750 batting average leads the International League and his six hits is tied for the most in the International league along with Norfolk's Connor Norby...in 2023, Caissie slashed .289/.398/.519 (127-for-439) in 120 games with Double-A Tennessee and added 22 home runs and 84 RBI...he was named a Minor League All-Star and Double-A All-Star by Baseball America along with All-MiLB Prospect First Team and MiLB.com Organization All-Star honors...additionally, he ranked among Cubs farmhands in RBI (3rd), doubles (3rd, 31), home runs (T3rd), and batting average (5th).

BROWN TO THE BIGS: Yesterday, the Chicago Cubs recalled right-handed pitcher Ben Brown from Iowa...Brown became the first I-Cub to get the call this season and made his big league debut last night at Texas as he pitched 1.2 innings and allowed six runs on five hits...he struck out Josh Jung to give him his first career strikeout...the 24-year-old appeared in five Spring Training games (two starts) for the Cubs in 2024, going 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA (1 ER in 14.0 IP) and 12 strikeouts...he went 8-8 with a 4.27 ERA (44 ER in 92.2 IP) in 26 appearances (19 starts) last season between Double-A Tennessee and Iowa and led all Cubs farmhands with 130 strikeouts.

STORM CHASIN': The I-Cubs had the Storm Chasers number last year at Werner Park, going 9-2 but have dropped the first two games of the season...the two clubs faced off 21 times in 2023, with Iowa going 13-8 and outscoring Omaha 160-117 (+43) including a 20-1 win here at Werner Park on Aug. 9 in which Iowa outhit Omaha 17-4 and hit seven home runs, four of which came in the first inning...the I-Cubs tallied a seven-game winning streak against the Storm Chasers last year from July 2 (G2)-Aug. 12.

START ME UP: Through two games of the season, Iowa's starting pitching staff is yet to surrender a run with Thomas Pannone tossing 5.0 scoreless innings on Friday night and Chris Clarke adding 3.0 more yesterday afternoon...the I-Cubs are one of two teams in the International League to have played two games and have a starters ERA of 0.00, along with Worcester (Boston).

ROSTER RUNDOWN: In conjunction with the Chicago Cubs, the Iowa Cubs announced their Opening Day roster on Friday...the roster features 14 players with major league service time and 18 players who have past suited up for Iowa...additionally, the roster featured seven players on the Cubs' Top 30 Prospects List according to MLB.com, including OF Pete Crow-Armstrong (No. 1), OF Owen Caissie (No. 3), RHP Ben Brown (No. 10), OF Alexander Canario (No. 11), INF Matt Mervis (No. 14), INF BJ Murray Jr. (No. 17) and INF Luis Vázquez (No. 19)...just three players are making their first Triple-A roster, including right-handed pitcher Walker Powell, Murray Jr. and Caissie.

EXTRAS ON OPENING DAY: Friday night's extra innings game marked the first time the I-Cubs have gone to extra innings on Opening Day since April 3, 1997, in which they defeated Omaha 6-5 in 11 innings on the road...Iowa has gone to extras on Opening Day five times in franchise history, including 2024, 1997, 1995, 1988 and 1973.

AT THE HELM: Iowa Cubs Manager Marty Pevey returns as Iowa's manager for the 12th consecutive season in 2024, extending his records of longest tenured and winningest manager in Iowa history...his 82 wins in 2023 were the second most by any team Pevey has managed, trailing the 2000 Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays, who went 84-54 (.609)...Pevey has 680 career wins with Iowa, just 20 short of the 700-mark and holds a career managerial record of 1,324-1,356.

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