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September 9 Game Notes: Iowa vs. Toledo

September 9, 2021 - International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release


IOWA CUBS (45-65) vs. TOLEDO MUD HENS (64-46)

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

RHP Cory Abbott (2-6, 6.89) vs. RHP Nivaldo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.20)

TONIGHT'S GAME: After falling in each of the first two games of the series, the I-Cubs will look to get back in the win column tonight by sending Cory Abbott to the mound. Abbott is coming off of just his second win of the year, tossing a quality start against Indianapolis. He went six innings, allowing just two earned runs on five hits while walking five and striking out nine. Abbott is 2-5 with a 6.89 ERA in 16 starts with Iowa, and will look to improve on his first appearance against the Mud Hens. In that start against Toledo on July 14, the righty had his shortest start of the year, throwing just 2.2 innings. He allowed six earned runs on five hits and five walks while striking out just three batters, the lowest of any appearance with Iowa this year. For Toledo, they will send out newly acquired Nivaldo Rodriguez. Rodriguez just joined Toledo on August 2, when the Detroit Tigers claimed him off waivers after being designated for assignment by the Houston Astros on July 31. The righty is 2-0 with a 3.20 ERA in nine games with the Mud Hens, set to make just his second start with Toledo and eighth of the season. He has allowed seven earned runs on 19 hits including three home runs, while walking 16 batters compared to 25 strikeouts in his time with Toledo.

BULLPEN BLUNDERS: In Iowa's last eight games, they have entered the final two innings of the game with a lead in six of them. Only three of those six games have ended in victories for the I-Cubs. It started on August 31, when Iowa led Indianapolis 3-2 heading into the eighth inning. Indy scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and won the game 4-3. The next night, Iowa led 2-1 entering the eighth inning and scored two runs to take a 4-1 lead, but then immediately gave up two runs. They won the game 4-3, but it was again a quality start that was nearly lost. Two games later, on September 3, they won 9-7, but were up 9-2 entering the bottom of the seventh inning. The bullpen allowed four runs in the seventh and one in the ninth to make it a two-run game, but closed out the win. The Saturday game was cancelled, but game one of the doubleheader on Sunday was more of the same. Iowa got 5.2 innings of one-run ball from their starter in a seven-inning game, holding a 3-1 lead into the final frame. The bullpen allowed three runs in the seventh inning to allow the Indians to get a walk-off 4-3 win. In game one against Toledo, the I-Cubs lost 8-2, but gave up four runs in the ninth inning, followed by yesterday's game, in which Iowa led 4-1 until the eighth inning. They allowed five runs in the eighth and one in the ninth to lose 7-5. Since August 31, the I-Cubs bullpen is 0-3, with their ERA on the season going up from 4.05 to 4.34. In 21.2 innings, they have allowed 24 earned runs (9.97 ERA) and walked 16 batters.

HOME FIELD DISADVANTAGE: Since the start of August, Iowa is just 4-13 in games at Principal Park after starting the month 3-1. They are just 1-12 in their last 13 games at home, and are being out scored by 45 runs over that span, 94-49. They have allowed double-digits in four of the 13 games, and seven or more runs in nine of them. Iowa has played two more games at home (56) than on the road (54), but have five less wins at Principal Park (20) than they do when playing away from home (25).

HE'S BACK: After coming off of the injured list on August 24, Tyler Ladendorf went 0-11 with five strikeouts in his first five games. Since then, the infielder has gotten in a rhythm, recording at least one hit in each of his last five games. He got two knocks on September 1 against Indianapolis, and has since recorded one hit in every game, including yesterday. Against the Mud Hens, Ladendorf went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a sacrifice fly on Tuesday, accounting for both of Iowa's runs. It was his fourth home run of the year and first since July 15, which also came against Toledo. Yesterday, he went 1-for-4 hitting out of the two-hole for just the fourth time this year. His five-game hitting streak marks his season long with Iowa.

TRAYCE FOR TWO: Trayce Thompson hit home runs in both the first and ninth innings in yesterday's game, good for his third two-homer game of the season with Iowa. All three of Thompson's multi-homer games have come at home, with one each against Columbus (June 13), Indianapolis (August 6), and now Toledo. He is one of three I-Cubs to notch a multi-homer game this year, but the only one to collect more than one multi-homer game. He is also the only player currently on the active roster to have done it, as both of the other two players who have had two-home-run games this year, Patrick Wisdom and Rafael Ortega, are currently with Chicago. Both Wisdom and Ortega gave their multi-homer performance in May, meaning Thompson is responsible for the last three two-homer games for the I-Cubs. His 18 long balls this season currently leads the team. With Nick Martini's recent departure for the Major League roster, Thompson's next closest competitor is Taylor Gushue, who trails him by a significant margin with eight on the year.

FIRST AGAINST WORST: Toledo and Iowa's seasons have gone in very different directions this year, with Toledo owning a three-game lead in first place of the Triple-A East Midwest division, and the I-Cubs 19.0 games behind them in last place of the division. The Mud Hens hold a 64-46 record with a winning percentage of .582, good for third in the Triple-A East. They are 38-16 when playing at their home field, just seven wins shy of Iowa's total on the year. With a win yesterday, the Mud Hens are just four games under .500 at 26-30 when playing on the road. Iowa on the other hand, is 45-65 overall, going 20-36 at home and 25-29 on the road. Iowa is 19.0 games out of first place in the Triple-A East Midwest division, the furthest out they have been all year, with just 20 games remaining in their season.

AGAINST TOLEDO: With yesterday's 7-5 loss, Iowa fell to 28-7 this year when leading after seven innings. They trail Toledo in the season series six games to two, and have been outscored by 11 runs now, 35-24. Toledo had four players with multi-hit games and had four players record a double yesterday. Since 1998, the Mud Hens or a Tigers affiliate hadn't played at Principal Park, but are now 2-0 in their first two games.

A LITTLE TROUBLE: After starting his I-Cubs tenure three scoreless outings covering five innings, Brendon Little has now allowed four earned runs over his last 3.1 innings pitched. Over those 3.1 innings, he has surrendered seven hits and walked four batters compared to just two strikeouts. The lefty has also allowed all seven runners he has inherited to score, going just 2-for-7 in retiring his first batter faced.

SHORT HOPS: Iowa's starters have thrown three quality starts in their last eight games, and have been just one out away from quality starts in two more games...the starting rotation has an ERA of 2.78 compared to an ERA of 9.97 from the bullpen since August 31...the I-Cubs are 24-63 when scoring less than eight runs this year...the I-Cubs went three days without a transaction for the first time this season from September 5-7.

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