IL Iowa Cubs

September 5 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Omaha Storm Chasers

Published on September 5, 2023 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (72-57) vs. OMAHA STORM CHASERS (58-69)

Tuesday, September 5 - 6:38 PM - Principal Park - Des Moines, IA

RHP Samuel Reyes (3-0, 1.80) vs. RHP Jonathan Bowlan (4-5, 5.51)

TONIGHT'S GAME: The I-Cubs send righty Samuel Reyes to open this week's series against Omaha. Reyes started the season in Iowa's bullpen, making five total relief appearances this year. He made his lone start of the year on August 23 in Indianapolis. Reyes did not allow a run in 3.0 innings, striking out three and walking one. The Dominican Republic native has started just nine games in his minor league career compared to 163 total appearances. Tonight marks Reyes' second career appearance versus the Storm Chasers. He tossed 3.0 shutout innings in his first game with the I-Cubs this year on August 12. Opposite Reyes will be Jonathan Bowlan for Omaha. Bowlan is 4-5 with a 5.51 ERA in 11 appearances as a Storm Chaser. He's faced Iowa twice this year, allowing two runs in 10.0 innings combined. The righty earned a win against the I-Cubs in game one of the doubleheader on July 2. Bowlan's two appearances this year are the only in his career versus Iowa.

BACK IN ACTION: The I-Cubs saw the return of two pitchers to their pitching staff in Sundays game against Toledo with Brandon Hughes and Ben Brown. Hughes was placed on a Major League Rehab assignment and Brown was activated off Iowa's injured list. Both pitchers made relief appearances in the contest and Hughes was the first arm used out of the bullpen against the Mud Hens. The right-hander spun a scoreless inning with one hit allowed, one walk, and one strikeout over the five batters he faced. Brown came in a little later and also tossed a scoreless frame with one hit allowed, no walks, and a pair of strikeouts against four batters. For Hughes, it was his first live game action since June 11 as he was placed on the injured list one day later with left knee inflammation. This is the second rehab assignment Hughes has been on with Iowa this season as he spent a week with the I-Cubs at the beginning of the season from April 8-15. Over that time frame the 27-year-old made three appearances and went 1-0 with a 10.13 ERA over 2.2 innings including two walks and two strikeouts. It also marked Brown's first live game action since July 30 as he was placed on the injured list a couple of days later on August 2. The 23-year-old had been having a solid season with the I-Cubs before his injury tallying a record of 6-7 with an ERA of 4.85. The No. 5 ranked prospect in the Cubs' system had totaled 65.0 innings with Iowa before going on the injured list and had allowed 35 earned runs off 52 hits to go along with 40 walks and 90 strikeouts.

BURDI IS THE WORD: Another bullpen arm for Iowa that is currently on a Major League Rehab assignment is right-hander Nick Burdi. He also made an appearance in Sundays series finale against Toledo and threw a scoreless, hitless inning with one punchout and no walks. Burdi started his rehab assignment with the I-Cubs on August 8 and has made three appearances. During his current rehab work, Burdi has a record of 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA in just 3.0 innings of work. Burdi has yet to give up a hit in this rehab assignment and has allowed two walks compared to four strikeouts. The 30-year-old started the season with Iowa and made 11 appearances before having his contracted selected by Chicago on May 15. Burdi's numbers to begin the season were solid as he went a perfect 4-for-4 in save opportunities in 11 appearances. Burdi had an ERA of 3.38 in 10.2 innings with 19 strikeouts and five walks in his first stint with Iowa this season. The Hinsdale, Illinois native made just three appearances with Chicago before he was placed on the injured list with appendicitis and went 0-0 with an ERA of 9.00 over 3.0 innings.

OMAHA ON OUR MIND: For the final time in 2023, Iowa and Omaha will take the diamond for a six-game series. The last time the two ballclubs faced off was one to remember for the I-Cubs as they had an offensive explosion over the five games played at Werner Park back on August 8-12. Iowa won all five contests against the Storm Chasers in that series, which marks the only sweep of the season for the I-Cubs. The most notable game of that series was on August 9 when the I-Cubs won by a final score of 20-1. In that game, Iowa racked up those 20 runs, which set a new season high, off 17 hits, seven of which were home runs. Five different players recorded multi-hit performances, with four of those players having three hits. It was an immediate offensive barrage from Iowa as it launched four homers in the first inning and totaled eight runs in the frame. Both of those achievements tied season highs as the I-Cubs also hit four home runs and scored eight runs once before this season. It marked the first time Iowa scored 20 runs in a game since August 30, 2010, on the road against the Albuquerque Isotopes and the 19-run margin of victory also marked the second largest in franchise history. Over the course of the five-game series against Omaha, the I-Cubs outscored the Storm Chasers 54-14 and averaged 10.8 runs per game compared to Omaha's 2.8 runs per game.

PLAYOFF PUSH: With just three weeks left in the regular season, the I-Cubs find themselves in the middle of a race to make the playoffs. Entering tonight's game versus Omaha, Iowa has an overall record of 72-57 and this next two-week homestand will be crucial to gain some ground after going 4-8 in their recent two-week road trip against Indianapolis and Toledo. In the overall standings, Iowa is just two games back of St. Paul (75-56) in the International League West, but to secure a playoff spot it comes down to second half record amongst all teams in the International League. In that respect, Iowa has tallied a record of 29-27 in the second half of the season and sits 2.5 games back of St. Paul (32-25) in the West. However, the teams that currently lead the second half race are both in the East in Durham and Lehigh Valley posting records of 35-22, which means the I-Cubs are 5.5 games back of being in the playoffs.

AGAINST OMAHA: Iowa is 11-4 against the Storm Chasers this season. They enter tonight on a seven game win streak versus the Storm Chasers. The streak is the longest since Iowa won seven straight from June 25, 2019 to May 21, 2021. The longest winning streak in franchise history is 10 games. The I-Cubs have accomplished this twice, the first time from July 7, 2006 to June 13, 2007 and for the second time from June 6, 2008 to August 30, 2008. While Iowa has a strong lead in the season series against Omaha, they are tied at two when playing at Principal Park.

SHORT HOPS: Iowa played in six one-run games on their 12-game road trip, they went 1-5 in those games moving their season record to 22-12 in one-run games...Pete Crow-Armstrong struck out four times for the second straight game on Sunday night, he and Chase Strumpf are the only I-Cubs to strike out four times in a game, they've each done it twice...Iowa is 5-5 on Tuesdays at Principal Park this season...Iowa's 11 wins against Omaha are the second most against any opponent this year besides Indianapolis who they have won 14 games against...The I-Cubs suffered their fourth and fifth series losses of the season on their road trip, first to Indianapolis 2-4 and then to Toledo 2-4.

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