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May 22 Game Notes: Iowa vs. Omaha

May 22, 2021 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (9-5) vs OMAHA STORM CHASERS (8-7)

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

RHP Joe Biagini (1-1, 2.81) vs. RHP Jackson Kowar (3-0, 1.15)

TONIGHT'S GAME: Iowa and Omaha match up for game four of their five-game set tonight. Joe Biagini gets the start for Iowa and will face Jackson Kowar as the I-Cubs go for their fifth win in a row.

CUTTING IT CLOSE: Iowa brought a 9-3 lead into the ninth inning last night for their bullpen who has been light's out this season. However, in his third inning of work, righty Adrian Sampson surrendered five earned runs on four home runs. With two outs, he gave up three solo home runs in a row, back-to-back-to-back to bring the game within one run. Ryan Meisinger came in to record the final out and secure the victory over Omaha, but it was a much more stressful ninth inning than originally anticipated. It was Meisinger's second save of the season, he is the only I-Cub to register a save this year.

WALK DOWN THE LINE: Iowa batters took eight total walks last night, the most they have taken all year. Ronald Bolaños(5), Jace Vines (1) and Eddie Butler (2) were the three Omaha pitchers who surrendered walks. Three players for Iowa took multiple free passes, accounting for seven of the eight team walks. Sergio Alcántara took two, Rafael Ortega three and, for the second game in a row, Patrick Wisdom had two.

PROFESSIONAL FIRSTS: Infielder Matt Burch registered his first professional hit and scored his first run in last night's game. Burch joined Iowa's roster on May 6 and has now appeared in three games for the I-Cubs, including one starting assignment at second and last night's game, where he started as the DH. He'd gone hitless in his first five at-bats heading into last night's matchup, then reached base for the first time on an infield error in the second and scored on back-to-back wild pitches. His first hit came in the seventh inning - a double off the center field wall.

LESS THAN PERFECT: Iowa's bullpen allowed a run last night for the first time in nearly a week when Adrian Sampson surrendered five to the Storm Chasers in the ninth inning. The last run a reliever had given up before Sampson's appearance came on May 15 at St. Paul, when Robert Stock allowed a solo home run, also in the ninth. Sampson's outing marks a departure from what has been a very solid group of relievers. Last night was only the second time this season that Iowa's bullpen has allowed more than a single run in a game, with the first time on May 7 against Indianapolis, when Michael Rucker gave up two runs. Despite the five-run inning, the bullpen still holds a 6-1 record, a 2.22 ERA (16ER/56.2IP) and a 0.85 WHIP overall. Iowa's pitching staff as a whole still leads Triple-A in WHIP (1.02) and now places third in ERA, with a 3.12 (43IP/124IP) mark.

HOME RUN HITTER: After hitting two home runs for his first two hits with Iowa on Thursday against Omaha, Patrick Wisdom was at it again in last night's game. Wisdom broke the game open in the seventh inning last night with his grand slam. For the second night in a row, the infielder had two walks and multiple runs batted in. He joined elite company in the Iowa Cubs record books, registering three home runs for his first three hits with the team. The last player to do that was Kris Bryant, who accomplished the feat for his first five hits with Iowa. Wisdom's last grand slam came on September 15, 2018 for St. Louis. He provided the Cardinals only four runs of offense in a 17-4 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Wisdom hit the slam off of lefty Rich Hill.

DON'T THROW TO HIM: Jake Kalish surrendered the grand slam to Patrick Wisdom last night in the seventh inning. It was also Kalish that Wisdom hit his three-run shot off of in the fourth inning on Thursday. Kalish has given up a home run in every appearance he has made for Omaha this season, including two against Columbus on May 14. The lefty owns an ERA of 8.76 (12 ER / 12.1 IP) with six home runs allowed, 10 walks and 11 strikeouts.

AGAINST OMAHA: Iowa and Omaha will face off tonight for game four of the series, with Iowa holding a 3-0 series lead. Exactly two years ago today, May 22, 2019, Iowa won both games of a double-header at Werner Park. Those two wins started a streak against Omaha of which the I-Cubs have won 10 of the last 11 games between the two teams. Iowa has taken seven straight against the Storm Chasers, bringing the all-time record between the two teams (since Omaha became the Storm Chasers) to 189-164 in favor of Iowa.

SHORT HOPS: Rafael Ortega has been the starter in right field in all nine of Iowa's victories...Taylor Gushue registered his sixth multi-hit game last night, good for most on the team... Omaha's eight runs last night are the most Iowa has allowed in a game so far this season... With the victory, Iowa moved to 2-0 on Friday home games this season.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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