April 30 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Omaha Storm Chasers

IOWA CUBS (15-12) vs. Omaha Storm Chasers (14-10)

Tuesday, April 30 • 6:38 PM CT • Principal Park • Des Moines, IA

RHP Chris Clarke (0-0, 2.00) vs. LHP Daniel Lynch IV (2-0, 6.46)

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and the Omaha Storm Chasers play game one of a six-game series tonight at Principal Park... Iowa will send right-hander Chris Clarke to the mound and Omaha is scheduled to pitch left-hander Daniel Lynch.

SERIES RECAP: Iowa dropped their last series at Buffalo from April 23-28 with the Bisons’ winning four of the six games... in the series finale on Sunday, the I-Cubs were shutout by a 2-0 score for the second consecutive game...it marked the first time Iowa has been shutout in back-to-back games since Sept. 8-9, 2022 at Jacksonville, dropping both games by scores of 16-0.

HOME SWEET HOME: Iowa returns to Principal Park tonight for a 12-game homestand, hosting Omaha from April 30- May 5 and Columbus from May 7-12...the I-Cubs have an 8-4 record at home this season, vs. a 7-8 record on the road, and have won seven of their last 10 games at Principal Park...Iowa’s pitching staff has posted a 4.10 ERA (104 ER in 228.1 IP) at home this season, which is the second-best such ERA in the International League, trailing only Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s 3.58 mark.

STORM CHASIN’: The I-Cubs and Omaha opened up their seasons facing each other in a three-game series at Werner Park in which the Storm Chasers won two of the three games, with the run differential being even at 12-12...the two clubs faced off 21 times in 2023, with Iowa going 13-8 and outscoring Omaha 160-117 (+43) including a 20-1 win at Werner Park on Aug. 9 in which Iowa outhit Omaha 17-4 and hit seven home runs, four of which came in the first inning...the I-Cubs tallied a seven-game winning streak against the Storm Chasers last year from July 2 (G2)-Aug. 12.

STAY HOT: After hitting just .167 (3-for-18) through his first five games this season, Iowa infielder, and Cubs No. 16 prospect (MLB. com), Luis Vazquez is batting .388 (26-for-67) in his last 18 games dating back to since April 5...his batting average ranks tied for third the International League during that span, trailing Toledo’s Ryan Vilade (.365)...Vázquez also ranks among International League leaders in hits (T-2nd), on-base percentage (7th, .455) and OPS (10th, 1.037) during that span...he went 0-for-4 Saturday, which snapped his hit streak at six games...entering play Saturday, the streak was tied for the fifth-longest active hit streak in the International League.

IN THE STANDINGS: From April 17-26, the I-Cubs held at least a share of first place in the International League West Division, but after the dropping the last two games at Buffalo, Iowa sits in the third in the division, 0.5 games behind second-place Omaha and 1.0 game behind Toledo...the first time since April 16, the I-Cubs have fallen out of first place with yesterday’s loss...Iowa is 15-10 in their last 25 games, including a four-game win streak from April 6-9 vs. Toledo and at St. Paul.

STREAKING: Outfielder Darius Hill went 2-for-4 Saturday to extend his hit streak to six-games, dating back to April 21...he is batting .435 (10-for-23) with two doubles and three RBI during that span and the streak is tied for the eighth-longest active streak in the International League and tied for the longest by an I-Cub this season.

THAT’S OFFENSIVE: Iowa tallied a season- high-tying 15 hits and scored a season-high 12 runs in their 12-3 victory over Buffalo Friday night...the 12 runs was the most scored by the I-Cubs since the club scored 20 runs in a 20-1 win over Omaha on Aug. 9, 2023...Iowa starting pitcher Riley Thompson tossed 4.0 scoreless innings and allowed just one hit with four strikeouts in a no decision.

STREAK SNAPPED: Iowa’s catcher Ali Sanchez went 0-for-2 in Sunday’s rain- shortened game at Buffalo...he tallied a hit and an RBI in five straight games from April 19 (G1)-26 and batted .421 (8-for-19) with three runs and eight RBI during that span... the RBI streak is tied for the sixth-longest in the International League this season and is the longest by an I-Cub since Alexander Canario from Aug. 10-17, 2023 (five games).

START ME UP: Iowa’s starting pitchers have posted a 4.03 ERA (43 ER in 96.0 IP) with 90 strikeouts this season...their ERA ranks second in the International League, behind leader Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (3.69)...the I-Cubs pitching staff overall ranks second in the International League with a 4.10 ERA (104 ER in 228.1) and ranks third in strikeouts with 268.

THE BIG O: Owen Caissie extended his on- base streak to 12 games on Sunday, tied for his longest such streak of the season, batting .341 (14-for-41) with five extra-bas hits and 10 walks...it’s tied for the fifth-longest active on-base streak in the International League and he has reached base in 24 of his 25 games with an at-bat.