IL Iowa Cubs

September 9 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Omaha Storm Chasers

September 9, 2023 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (72-61) vs. OMAHA STORM CHASERS (62-69)

Saturday, September 9 - 6:08 PM - Principal Park - Des Moines, IA

LHP Stephen Gonsalves (0-0, 6.75) vs. LHP Anthony Veneziano (5-3, 3.97)

TONIGHT'S GAME: Trailing the series 4-0, Iowa sends Stephen Gonsalves to the mound tonight. The lefty came out of the bullpen earlier this series on Wednesday afternoon. He spun 2.0 innings, allowing one run on two hits and two walks while striking out three. Tonight marks just his third start of the season for Iowa. In those starts, Gonsalves has combined for an 0-0 record with a 8.10 ERA, allowing three runs in 3.1 innings. Gonsalves has faced Omaha just twice in his career, both times coming this season. He is 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA against the Storm Chasers. Opposite Gonsalves is Anthony Veneziano for Omaha. Veneziano will make his 16th start of the season for Omaha, entering tonight 5-3 with a 3.97 ERA. He earned a quality start in his last outing, tossing 6.0 innings where he allowed one unearned run on four hits and three walks while striking out six. Veneziano has faced Iowa just once in his young Triple-A career, earlier this year on August 10. He spun 6.0 shutout innings, giving up just three hits while walking two. The lefty struck out a ten I-Cubs in the start. It marks his season high and matches a season high for any single pitcher against Iowa this year.

SEVEN STRAIGHT: Iowa has now lost seven straight games, with last night's loss extending what was already a season-long six-game losing streak. The I-Cubs previously lost five games in a row from June 2 to June 7. Not only does their seven straight losses mark the most consecutive losses this season, but it also surpasses last season's longest losing streak of six games. It is the longest losing streak since September 23 to October 3, 2021, when the I-Cubs lost eight straight games. While the seven-game streak is substantial, it's not the worst Iowa has ever seen. From April 12 to April 23, 2000, the I-Cubs lost 12 straight games, which set the franchise record.

WINDY'S HOT BAT: Bryce Windham recorded yet another multi-hit game for Iowa last night. He went 2-for-4 as the designated hitter. It's already his second two-hit game of the series, as Windham went 2-for-4 with an RBI on Wednesday night. On the week, the catcher is now batting .500 (4-for-8) through two games. Windham is no stranger to multi-hit games this season, as he has recorded 13 two-hit games and 14 total multi-hit performances. Windham has had at least two at-bats in 48 games this season, he's had two or more hits in 29 percent of those contests. Beyond just multi-hit games, Windham has been one of the most consistent bats on Iowa's roster. His .311 batting average is second on the team, behind only Jared Young. Windham ranks fourth in OBP (.393).

CAN'T STOP JARED YOUNG: In his four games this series, Jared Young is 9-for-17 (.529) with seven runs scored, five homers, eight RBI, two walks and five strikeouts. Iowa has scored just 20 runs this series, Young has been a part of 10 of those whether he was the scoring run or recorded the RBI. This week has quickly skyrocketed JY's already impressive numbers. He now leads Iowa's active roster with his .313 average, ranks first in home runs (20), OBP (.420), SLG (.577), OPS (.997) and is second in RBI (69) and hits (89). Young doesn't rank in the top ten in the International League as he is not a qualified player because the utility-man spent 25 days with Chicago from June 27 to July 22, missing significant at-bats being away from Triple-A.

CONNECT-FOUR LONG BALLS: Jared Young homered in his fourth straight game last night with a solo shot in the fifth inning. He became the first I-Cub this season to homer in four straight games. Young is just the fifth player since at least 2008 to homer in four consecutive games in I-Cubs history. The last player to do so was Narciso Crook who did it from June 10 to June 14 last season. Two other players also did it in 2022: Robel Garcia from May 10 to 13 and Greg Deichmann from June 1 to June 4. In 2019, Trent Giambrone became the first player since at least 2008 to hit four in-a-row from June 14 to June 17. No I-Cub has homered in five straight in at least the last 15 years. JY started his home run streak with a two-homer game on Tuesday night, his fourth multi-home run game of the season. His streak is the longest active in the International League and is tied for the fourth longest this season.

TROUBLE IN THE NINTH: The I-Cubs entered the final frame of last night's contest with a 2-1 lead. They sent Michael Rucker to the mound in the save opportunity. While he only has five saves in his entire career, he was 2-for-2 in save opportunities for Iowa entering last night. Rucker got a quick first out in the ninth, but it was downhill from there. CJ Alexander launched a solo home run to tie things up at two. Then, Angelo Castellano kept the rally going with a single. Samad Taylor called game, giving Omaha a 4-2 lead with a two-run bomb. In just three hitters, Rucker went from a potential save to a loss on his record. Last night marked just the third loss of the year for Iowa when leading after eight innings and their seventh when leading after seven innings. It was their 27th blown save of the year. Despite four losses this week, last night was Iowa's first blown save of the series.

AGAINST OMAHA: Iowa suffered their fourth straight loss to the Storm Chasers last night, taking their sixth series loss of the season and fourth at home. This week is the first series loss for the I-Cubs against the Storm Chasers. The two teams finished in a 2-2 tie in April, Iowa won 4-2 in June and Iowa won 5-0 in August. While this week's series can't be salvaged for the I-Cubs, they will still win the season series. They currently lead it 11-7, so they are guaranteed the season series win with just two games between the two teams remaining.

SHORT HOPS: Last night's loss was very improbable for Iowa, it was just their 11th loss with 10 or more hits (40-11) and their 11th loss when out-hitting their opponent (56-11)...The I-Cubs sported their COPA Demonios de Des Moines specialty jerseys last night and moved to 3-10 when wearing specialty uniforms this season; Iowa will wear their Demonios uniforms both Saturday and Sunday to close this series...Iowa is now just 11 games over .500, it is the closest they've been to .500 since June 21 when they were also 11 games over .500; they have been 11 games over .500 four times this year: 31-20 on June 1, 39-28 on June 18, 40-29 on June 21 and now 72-61 today... David Bote extended his hitting streak to five games last night, going 2-for-5 with one RBI, it was his 21st multi-hit game of the season...The I-Cubs have dropped to sixth place in the International League West, it is the lowest they have been in 2023, in the first half of the season the lowest they touched was fourth place on April 25, in the second half the previous low was fourth place which came yesterday.

Check out the Iowa Cubs Statistics



International League Stories from September 9, 2023


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.

OurSports Central