Iowa Cubs (26-19) at Omaha Storm Chasers (20-14)Tuesday, May 21 • 6:35 PM • Werner Park • Papillion, NERHP Colin Rea (4-1, 2.91) vs. RHP Heath Fillmyer (2-1, 5.06)
Iowa Cubs (26-19) at Omaha Storm Chasers (20-14)
Tuesday, May 21 • 6:35 PM • Werner Park • Papillion, NE
RHP Colin Rea (4-1, 2.91) vs. RHP Heath Fillmyer (2-1, 5.06)
TONIGHT'S GAME: Iowa looks to get back to its winning ways during a season-long 12-game road trip. The I-Cubs worked 7-1 over their last road stretch, before going 2-8 at Principal Park against Omaha and New Orleans. Iowa swept Omaha at Werner Park May 3-4, before getting swept by the Storm Chasers at Principal Park May 11-14. The last time Iowa was both swept in a series by Omaha and swept the Storm Chasers in the same season was 2004 -- Iowa swept at Omaha July 1-3 (3 gms) and was swept in Des Moines Aug. 25-29 (5 gms).
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Iowa boasts a PCL-best 15-5 record in road games this season. The I-Cubs batting average is a similar .245 at home and .258 on the road, though the team's slugging mark rises from .399 at Principal Park to .455 as the visiting team. The I-Cubs are averaging 4.2 runs per game at home and 6.3 runs on the road. The staff's 4.66 home ERA falls to 3.80 in enemy territory.
DILLON MAPLES EXPERIENCE: Since coming back from Chicago, Dillon Maples has pitched in four games for the I-Cubs. Over 5.1 innings, Maples has given up five hits, four runs and five walks. The righty has only hit one batter and struck out nine. Opponents are batting .250 off Maples over this stretch and he holds a 6.75 ERA.
LIGHT REAS: Amongst a recently struggling rotation, Colin Rea has stayed strong and steady for Iowa. I-Cubs starters compiled a 6.94 ERA (36ER/46.2IP) with 14 home runs allowed, 20 walks and 53 strikeouts through the 2-8 homestand and took all 10 decisions, while Rea went 1-1 with a 2.70 clip (10.0IP) with three walks, 12 strikeouts and one home run allowed.
DIALED IN: After allowing two runs to score in one inning of work against Omaha on May 6, reliever Rowan Wick has not allowed an opponent to cross the plate since. In three appearances, Wick has thrown 6.2 innings, including a career-high 2.2 innings against Omaha on May 13. The righty has surrendered just three hits and two free passes while striking out four over this three-game stretch. Wick has lowered his ERA from 4.38 to 2.84 and opponents are batting just .130 off the righty in this span. AGAINST OMAHA: Iowa and New Orleans are an even 4-4 against each other this season with each team executing a sweep on the other's home turf. Despite the record, Iowa is out-scoring Omaha 45-33 in the season series. Trent Giambrone has carried the team offensively against Omaha, going 10-for-31 (.323) with four home runs and eight RBI against the Storm Chasers, though he is just 2-for-16 with two doubles and one RBI at Werner Park.
POWER OUTAGE: Trent Giambrone doubled in Game 1 Sunday for his first extra-base hit since May 4. Since that date, Giambrone is slugging .182. The utility man began the season with 17 of his 24 hits falling for extra-bases April 4-May 4 (10 2B, 7 HR), totaling a .556 slugging percentage.
A COOLING BREEZE: Donnie Dewees hit .345 with a .508 on-base percentage through a 14-game hit streak April 25-May 9, but has cooled off since. Dewees is 2-for-28 (.071) through his last seven games and has walked once and struck out six times after whiffing just nine times through his first 104 plate appearances.
WE WANT A PITCHER: Outfielder Jacob Hannemann helped Duane Underwood Jr. get out of a shaky first inning yesterday as Underwood Jr. moved to left field and Hannemann got the final out of the inning as he struck out the only batter he faced. Hannemann became the first Iowa position player to pitch since Chris Gimenez on July 25, 2018 at Fresno. The move worked as Underwood Jr. tossed 5.0 scoreless frames and allowed just three baserunners following the switch. It was the first career pitching appearance for Hannemann.
PICK ME UP: Among a struggling Iowa offense that averaged 3.01 runs per game through the last homestand, Phillip Evans has been a bright spot. Through the nine-game set, Evans is 11-for-32 with five runs, two home runs, three RBI and a .382 OBP. With the team batting .228 (66-for-290) through this stretch, Evans claims 17 percent of the I-Cubs' hits.
SHORT HOPS: Iowa is 0-2 on travels days and 5-6 in the first game of a series this season.
