IL Iowa Cubs

May 15 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Omaha Storm Chasers

Published on May 15, 2022 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (18-16) vs. OMAHA STORM CHASERS (16-18)

Sunday, May 15, 2022 - 1:08 - Principal Park - Des Moines, IA

RHP Matt Swarmer (2-0, 2.17) vs. LHP Kris Bubic (0-0, -.--)

TODAY'S GAME: Matt Swarmer is set to make his fourth start and eighth appearance of the season for Iowa, looking to get a new winning streak going. Swarmer pitched in game one of the series on Tuesday, tossing 5.2 innings of two-run ball. He walked two and allowed one home run for his only hit surrendered, while walking two and striking out 10. Opposite of Swarmer will be Kris Bubic, set to make his Triple-A debut. Up to this point, the southpaw has spent the entire season with Kansas City, and has never pitched in Double-A or Triple-A. On the year with the Royals, he is 0-3 with a 12.83 ERA through six games including five starts. In those six games, has thrown just 13.1 innings, allowing 19 earned runs on 19 hits including five home runs. He has walked 11 hitters compared to 10 strikeouts.

SNAPPED: Five players for Iowa had hitting streaks of two or more games coming into last night's game. All five of those streaks were broken, with Iowa mustering just four hits as a team. Robel Garcia had a five-game hitting streak, including four straight games with a home run. John Hicks also had a five-game hitting streak, while Tyler Payne had his three-game streak snapped and each Nelson Velazquez and Jared Young had their two-game hitting streaks come to an end. Dixon Machado (1) and Greg Deichmann (3) were the only two I-Cubs batters to record a hit in their 2-0 loss to the Storm Chasers last night.

GET HIM GOING: Outfielder Greg Deichmann hasn't been having the year he hoped for, getting designated for assignment on April 16 and outrighted back to Iowa on April 22. The 26-year-old was acquired by Chicago in a trade for reliever Andrew Chafin last season and played in seven games with Iowa before getting recalled on August 6 to make his Major League debut. He played in 14 total games with Chicago last season, but started the 2022 campaign in Triple-A, hitting .207 (6-for-29) with one double, three RBI and 13 strikeouts in his first eight games of the year before getting DFA'd. Deichmann has struggled since returning to the lineup, hitting just .111 (4-for-36) with two runs scored, four runs batted in and two walks compared to 14 strikeouts. Last night, however, the Metairie, LA, native collected three of Iowa's four hits, going 3-for-3 with three singles. It marked his second three-hit game of the year, recording three hits back on April 12 against Toledo.

HELLO OLD FRIEND: Dakota Mekkes made his first appearance of the season last night for Iowa, throwing 1.1 scoreless innings. The 6-foot-7-inch right-hander allowed one hit, but erased it with a double-play to end the inning. It marked the fourth consecutive season that Mekkes has pitched for Iowa, dating back to 2018, when he went 1-0 with a 1.44 ERA in 25 relief appearances. Over his four seasons in Triple-A, Mekkes has 96 appearances, holding a 5-5 record with a 4.05 ERA.

FITTING IN: Though Cam Sanders was credited with the loss last night, he was dominant in his Triple-A debut. The righty set a new season high with his 5.2-inning start, which also tied the I-Cubs' high for innings pitched by a starter. He struggled a bit with his control, walking four batters, but kept the game in check with nine strikeouts, which matched his season high. All told, he limited the Storm Chasers to one run on two hits. The performance put him just one out short of securing the first quality start by an I-Cub this season. Nevertheless, Sanders' outing continued a trend of effective starts this series; with his stats in the mix, Iowa's rotation has pitched to a 1-1 record with a 2.90 ERA (8ER/25.0IP) and 34 strikeouts in the first five games of the series.

REPEAT PERFORMANCE: Matt Swarmer will look to repeat his performance from the series opener today, a game in which tied a career high, striking out 10 batters over his 5.2 innings. His 5.2 innings set a new season long for any I-Cubs starter, matched by Cam Sanders last night in his Triple-A debut. Entering today's start, Swarmer ranks fourth in the International League in earned run average, sitting at 2.17. He also ranked third in batting average against, with his opponents hitting just .175 against him so far this year. The righty is tied for sixth in WHIP at 1.00 and with just two strikeouts will enter the top-10 in strikeouts in the International League. Last time out against the Storm Chasers, the 28-year-old threw three perfect innings before allowing a leadoff walk followed by a two-run home run, the only hit and runs he allowed.

AGAINST OMAHA: Omaha took their first game out of the first five played in the I-80 rivalry last night, heading into today's series finale trailing four games to one in the series. After winning the first four games of the series, Iowa officially won their second series of the season, both coming at Principal Park. With the loss last night, Iowa's lead over Omaha in their all-time series was cut to 22 games, at 312-290. They also hold a 33-game lead over the Storm Chasers at home, going 171-133 all-time entering today's game.

SHORT HOPS: Jackson Kowar spun six scoreless innings, marking the fourth quality start against Iowa this season and the first quality start for either team in one of Iowa's games since April 23; the I-Cubs have yet to receive a quality start this season... Cam Sanders walked four batters last night, tying the most walks in a single game by an I-Cubs pitcher this season going back to April 21 when Cayne Ueckert walked four batters...Iowa turned their 30th double play of the season last night, 13 more than their opponents 17 double plays turned this year.

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