July 23 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Indianapolis Indians

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and Indianapolis Indians play the first of a six-game series tonight...the two clubs have played 12 games this season with Indianapolis winning seven of those games...right-hander Kyle McGowin is scheduled to make his 13th start of the season and eighth with Iowa...Kyle went 2-1 with a 2.22 ERA (7 ER in 28.1 IP) in five starts with Double-A Tennessee...Indianapolis is slated to pitch right-hander Domingo Germán who will make his 11th start for the Indians...Germán went 5-7 with a 4.56 ERA (55 ER in 108.2 IP) in 20 appearances (19 starts) with the Yankees last season.

FINISH ON A HIGH NOTE: The I-Cubs closed out their series in Memphis with a 4-3 win over the Redbirds on Sunday... Connor Noland made his first start with Iowa after being promoted on Friday and pitched 5.0 scoreless innings with two strikeouts...BJ Murray Jr. and Moises Ballesteros each homered for Iowa, with Murray Jr.’s being a three-run shot in the first inning.

DEBUT IN MEMPHIS: Sunday’s starting pitcher Connor Noland tossed 5.0 scoreless inning on Sunday and earned the win in his Triple-A debut at Memphis...Noland, a ninth round pick in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft by the Cubs, went 7-3 with a 2.50 ERA (24 ER in 86.1 IP) in 16 starts with Tennessee prior to his promotion and at the time of his promotion, he ranked among Southern League leaders in wins (T-1st), ERA (5th), WHIP (8th, .235) and innings pitched (T-8th)...in his last six starts dating back to June 18, Connor has gone 5-1 with a 1.04 ERA (4 ER in 34.2 IP) and 24 strikeouts.

ALL THE SMALL THINGS: Iowa has played five consecutive one-run games and improved to 21-14 in such games this season with Sunday’s 4-3 loss...the I-Cubs have played 34 one-run games this season which is the most such games in the International League ahead of the Omaha Storm Chasers who are 18-12...this year, 36% of the I-Cubs game have been decided by one run...Iowa went 25-13 in one-run games during the 2023 campaign.

THAT WAS FAST: Iowa and Memphis played a two hour and four minute game Saturday night which marked the I-Cubs fastest game since Sept. 17, 2023 in which they played a two hour game vs. St. Paul...Iowa’s average game time this season (nine innings) is two hours, 40 minutes and 56 seconds, which ranks 11th-fastest in the International League.

VS. INDIANAPOLIS: Iowa and Indianapolis are facing off for their third series of the season following May 21-26 in Des Moines and June 18-23 at Victory Field...the Indians have won seven of the 12 contests played between the two ball clubs this season, including four of the last six.

CRUSHING CANARIO: Iowa Cubs outfielder Alexander Canario hit his 17th home run of the season Saturday night in just 61 games with the I-Cubs...his 17 homers lead all Cubs’ minor leaguers.

MURRAY, MURRAY: Iowa Cubs infielder BJ Murray Jr. has reached base safely in 12 of his 14 games in July in which he is slashing .313/.421/.563 (15-for-48) with 10 runs scored, three doubles, three home runs, eight RBI and eight walks...in addition, BJ has stolen four bases during the month which ranks tied for 10th-most in the International League during that span.

HOME SWEET HOME: Iowa returns back to Principal Park for the first time since July 6 vs. Omaha...the I-Cubs are 24-21 at home this season vs. 19-32 on the road...Iowa has won three straight home games and have won six of their last seven dating back to June 27 vs. St. Paul.

BALLY GOES DEEP: Cubs No. 5 prospect Moises Ballesteros hit his fourth home run as an I-Cub on Sunday and 13th overall...from July 11-19, Ballesteros homered in back-to-back games for the first time this season and the fourth time in his career with the last coming on Aug. 13-15, 2023 with Advanced-A South Bend...he is batting .298 (25-for-84) in 21 games with Iowa and has tallied eight multi-hit efforts.