June 1 Game Notes: Iowa @ Omaha
IOWA CUBS (9-13) @ OMAHA STORM CHASERS (16-7) Tuesday, June 1, 2021 • 7:05 PM • Werner Park • Papillion, NE RHP Adrian Sampson (0-0, 5.23) vs. RHP Ronald Bolaños (0-1, 3.52)
IOWA CUBS (9-13) @ OMAHA STORM CHASERS (16-7)
Tuesday, June 1, 2021 • 7:05 PM • Werner Park • Papillion, NE
RHP Adrian Sampson (0-0, 5.23) vs. RHP Ronald Bolaños (0-1, 3.52)
TONIGHT’S GAME: The I-Cubs look to break their season-long eight-game losing streak tonight against Omaha. Righty
DIFFERENT ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM: Since Iowa and Omaha met on Saturday, May 22, the two teams have gone in completely opposite directions. Omaha won that game 7-1 over Iowa, and hasn’t looked back since. The Storm Chasers have won eight straight games, climbing into first in the division with a 16-7 record. On the other hand, Iowa hasn’t won since that game on May 22, dropping their last eight games. They have fallen to 9-13 and are 6.5 games out of the division lead, currently sitting in fifth place. Omaha is 10-2 at Werner Park this season, and Iowa is 3-3 on the road, set to start just their second series away from Principal Park this season.
NEXT-LEVEL STUFF: Five former Iowa Cubs played yesterday for Chicago and were all contributors in their 7-2 victory over San Diego.
WHERE’S THE MUSCLE?: Over their eight-game losing streak, Iowa has not had the same offensive power as their opponents, and it has made a big difference. In the two losses against Omaha that started the streak, the I-Cubs hit three doubles and two home runs, compared to five doubles, a triple and three home runs from the Storm Chasers. In their most recent series against St. Paul, Iowa didn’t hit a single long ball, while the Saints hit 11 of them. Besides home runs, Iowa matched St. Paul as the I-Cubs hit 12 doubles and one triple compared to St. Paul’s 11 doubles and one triple. However, the Saints’ 11 home runs accounted for 50% of their runs in the series, 21-of-42.
SIT ’EM DOWN: Iowa pitching struck out a season-high 19 batters in Sunday’s game against St. Paul. It marked their eighth straight game with double-digit strikeouts, and third straight with 14 or more.
WRONG KIND OF HISTORY: After getting swept by St. Paul in their most recent series and suffering two losses to Omaha before the sweep, the I-Cubs have now lost a season-long eight straight games. Dating back to 2000, Iowa has lost eight straight games in seven different seasons, including three times in 2011. They lost nine in a row twice, in 2006 and 2013 and 10 in a row in 1996. Since then, Iowa’s longest losing streak came in the year 2000, when they lost 12 straight games from April 12-23. The 2000 I-Cubs held a 57-87 overall record, including going 14-25 in one-run games (3-13 on the road), going 4-66 when trailing after six innings, and holding a 6-17 record in the month of April. The 2021 I-Cubs finished the month of May at 9-13, with a 6-10 mark at Principal Park.
SOMETHING MISSING: Iowa lost a lot of key pieces to the Major League roster heading into the last series with St. Paul.
AGAINST OMAHA: Iowa is 3-2 against the Storm Chasers so far this season, all five games coming at Principal Park. In that series, the I-Cubs outscored Omaha by nine runs, 36-27, due in large part to a 16-1 victory in the second game of the series. In 2019, Iowa was 7-1 at Werner Park and will look to get back on track with a victory at the same field in tonight’s game.
DOING ALL HE CAN:
SHORT HOPS: Iowa’s eight-game losing skid is the longest current streak in all of Triple-A baseball...Iowa goes on the road for just the second time this season after splitting a six-game set with St. Paul in their first trip.