October 2 Game Notes: Iowa vs. Omaha

IOWA CUBS (51-76) vs. OMAHA STORM CHASERS (71-56)

Saturday, October 2, 2021 • 6:08 PM • Principal Park • Des Moines, IA

LHP Luis Lugo (1-5, 5.85) vs. LHP Austin Cox (0-0, 22.50)

TONIGHT’S GAME: Iowa will look for their first win since game one of the Final Stretch, back on September 22. They will hand the ball over to Luis Lugo, who comes into the game with a 1-5 record and a 5.85 ERA since joining the I-Cubs on August 18. The southpaw will be making his third start against Omaha, currently holding an 0-1 record with a 4.50 ERA over his first two games. In those two starts, he has allowed five earned runs on nine hits over 10.0 innings, both walking and striking out six batters while allowing the Storm Chasers to hit .243 against him. Opposite of Lugo will be lefty Austin Cox toeing the rubber for Omaha. Cox will be pitching in just his second game with the Storm Chasers after joining the team on Sunday. Tonight will mark the first start of his Triple-A career, but 16th of the season and 48th of his minor league career. With Double-A Northwest Arkansas, Cox went 4-1 with a 3.00 ERA (21ER/63.0 IP) in 15 starts, striking out 56 batters compared to 25 walks.

HOME FIELD DISADVANTAGE: The Iowa Cubs have lost both of their first two games against the Storm Chasers this week, continuing their trend of losing at home. Since August 1, the I-Cubs have gone just 5-18 at Principal Park, compared to a 14-15 mark on the road. In the season overall, Iowa has played to a 21-41 record in Des Moines, good for a winning percentage of just .339, which is the worst home winning percentage in Triple-A baseball. The I-Cubs started off strong, winning both of their first two home series in May, but they’ve gone 0-3-5 in home series since. The home woes have come on both sides of the field; the I-Cubs’ .239 average at home ranks 25th out of 30 teams in Triple-A baseball and the 254 runs they’ve scored rank 27th out of 30, while their home ERA of 5.80 ranks 24th out of 30 and the 108 home runs they’ve allowed is third most in Triple-A. With their loss to Omaha in game one, Iowa ensured they would have a .500 or worse record at home against every team in the Triple-A East Midwest division.

HE’S STILL GOT IT: At 35 years old, Andrew Romine is nearly ten years older than the average I-Cub on the active roster right now. He is also one of just six players currently in Iowa with Major League service time, and the just over six seasons he has logged are more than triple that of the second-place man, Marcus Walden. Romine’s experience was on display last night, as he was one of two I-Cubs to have a multi-hit night. Hitting out of the leadoff spot for the first time this season for Iowa, Romine went 3-for-4 with a walk, but reached base in all five of his plate appearances after reaching on an error. It was Romine’s 17th multi-hit effort with Iowa this year, which is fourth on the team, and his fourth three-hit game, which is tied for second.

CHECK THE RECORD BOOKS: Iowa’s 22-4 loss last night marked the most runs they have allowed all season, surpassing the 21 runs allowed to Toledo on September 11. Toledo also recorded 21 hits in that game, a mark Omaha fell just three short of. The Storm Chasers did, however, set the record for most home runs by any Iowa opponent this year, clubbing seven. This passed the previous record of six done twice this year, and came just one long ball short of tying the franchise record of eight home runs allowed in a single game, set back on July 18 against Oklahoma City. One of those home runs came from Lucius Fox, giving him home runs in three straight contests against Iowa dating back to September 19. With a home run tonight, he would tie the longest streak of the year against Iowa set by Nolan Jones of the Columbus Clippers, when he hit home runs in four straight games against the I-Cubs from June 13-July 22.

ALL THE DEBUTS: Seven different players made their Triple-A debuts last night for Iowa, including three position players and four pitchers. Matt Mervis recorded his first Triple-A hit, multi-hit game, extra-base hit and run batted in, going 2-for-5 with a run scored, a double and an RBI. Spencer Matt also made his debut, but didn’t record a hit, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Hitting out of the nine-spot, Liam Spence collected his first Triple-A hit, going 1-for-4 with a run scored. On the pitching side, Luis Rodriguez made his first Triple-A start last night, allowing eight earned runs on five hits and four walks over two innings. Didier Vargas, Sheldon Reed and Dauris Valdez all made their debuts coming out of the bullpen last night, combining to pitch four innings. Vargas struggled, allowing six earned runs on six hits while walking two and striking out two, but Reed allowed just one run over two innings and despite walking three batters, Valdez was one of two pitchers last night to throw a scoreless frame.

MAJOR SUCCESS: Cory Abbott was set to make the final start of his season with Iowa against Omaha this week, but he ended up with something better: his first career start in the Majors. Abbott was recalled by Chicago for the fifth time this season on Friday and joined the team in St. Louis, where he was handed the ball against the Cardinals. After making all six of his previous appearances for Chicago from the bullpen, Abbott lasted five innings in his first Major League start. He allowed only four hits and two runs - both solo home runs - and struck out four batters. That wasn’t all for Abbott, however, as he also collected his first MLB hit with a third-inning single. He was even briefly in line for his first Major League win after the Cubs scored three in the top of the sixth, but ended up with no decision when the Cardinals tied it back up. The outing was a fitting close to the season for Abbott, who had won four straight games on three quality starts for Iowa before his call-up. After struggling through the middle part of the season, he bounced back to put in his best work of the year through the final month and a half. Between Iowa and Chicago, he went 4-0 in his final five starts and pitched to a combined 2.20 ERA (7ER/28.2IP) in September and October. He will likely fall just short of the Triple-A strikeout title with 130 on the season, but will finish his first Triple-A season with the Iowa lead in innings (96.0), starts (19), and wins (5).

TOUGH START: Yesterday was Iowa’s first-ever October game, and the month did not start how they would’ve liked. After allowing 22 earned runs on 18 hits and 11 walks, the I-Cubs own the worst ERA in the month of October in all of Triple-A, with a 22.00 mark. Seven total pitchers were used in last night’s game, just the third time the I-Cubs have used seven pitchers in a single game all year. Seven pitchers tied a season high set back on September 11 against Toledo, and coming into last night, reached the mark most recently on September 26 against St. Paul. Just two pitchers last night, Dauris Valdez and Juan Gamez, did not allow runs last night, while three pitchers allowed six or more earned runs. Four of the six relievers retired the first batters they faced, but the bullpen combined to allow 14 earned runs.

AGAINST OMAHA: Omaha has taken both of the first two games of what was supposed to be a five-game series between the I-Cubs and the Storm Chasers. With Thursday’s rainout, however, Omaha’s win last night secured at least a series split in the final series of 2021. The Storm Chasers have now won 13 of 20 at Principal Park this year and 22 of 38 overall against the I-Cubs. They’ve outscored Iowa 32-9 in the first two games this week and 245-198 in all 38 games so far.

ROUGH STRETCH: Over their last three games, Iowa’s pitching staff has struggled to keep games close for the offense. They are 0-3 in those three games, with losses of 11-1, 10-5 and 22-4. In each of the three games, the I-Cubs have allowed double-digit runs and hits, while allowing double-digit walks and earned runs in two of the three contests. Combining their last three games, in 26.0 innings pitched, Iowa pitchers have surrendered 42 earned runs on 39 hits, 32 walks and 10 home runs while striking out 22 batters.

SHORT HOPS: With their loss last night, Iowa fell to 11-11 on Friday’s this year, losing the chance to have a winning record on any day of the week this season...after surrendering seven home runs last night, Iowa’s pitching staff has now allowed 200 home runs this year...the I-Cubs fell to 42-60 in night games this year after falling in last night’s contest.