April 28 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs vs. Louisville Bats

IOWA CUBS (14-7) vs. LOUISVILLE BATS (8-15)

Friday, April 28, 2023 • 7:08 PM • Principal Park • Des Moines, IA

RHP Chris Clarke (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Kevin Herget (0-1, 10.13)

TONIGHT’S GAME: Iowa and Louisville are scheduled to play game four of their six-game series tonight, with Chris Clarke taking the mound for Iowa. Clarke is set to make his Principal Park debut tonight, after making his season and Triple-A debut last Saturday against Buffalo. In that game, the righty spun 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out five. On the other side, Louisville will send Kevin Herget to the mound, also making his second start of the year. He is looking to improve on his last outing, when he went just 2.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits and three walks, striking out one. Opponents his .333 against him in that game, moving his record to 0-1 and his ERA to 10.13.

FIRST NIGHT CHALLENGING: This week is the first week of the ABS system, which automatically calls balls and strikes. Tonight will mark the first night of using the ABS Challende system. In all Friday-Sunday games, the challenge system will be used. In those games, the umpires will be calling pitches, but each team has three challenges to use. Only the hitter, pitcher and catcher can decide to challenge a call, and both teams get three challenges that are retained if they win the challenge. Iowa’s games from Tuesday through Thursday will use the full-ABS system, with the computer system making the call for every pitch. Every pitch that comes in is automatically called if it clips the strike zone and the home plate umpire is told whether the pitch is a ball or a strike. This series is the first time the I-Cubs have used this system, and through three games it has already been an adjustment for players and umpires. As tonight’s challenge system is used for the first time, there’s sure to be more adjustments made.

THE LONE ONES SCORELESS: Yesterday’s game was one of the highest scoring affairs Iowa will see all season. With 42 hits and 34 runs combined, there didn’t appear to be any good pitching performances from either side. But, Iowa had two. Riley Thompson and Tyler Duffey were the only pitchers from either side to not allow a run. Thompson tossed 2.0 innings without allowing a hit or a run. Duffey threw 1.2 allowing just one hit and no runs. Ten other pitchers made an appearances and each allowed at least one run. FIve gave up four or more and eight gave up at least two. In the midst of the crazy offensive numbers, Thompson and Duffey flew under the radar with their excellent outings.

QUITE THE INNING: Iowa scored in seven of their eight innings in yesterday’s 18-run outburst, with no inning bigger than their six-run fourth. In that inning alone, Iowa had six hits – all for extra bases – including four home runs, with Jake Slaughter, Jared Young and Sergio Alcántara going back-to-back-to-back.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED: Iowa and Louisville combined for 34 runs and 80 total bases on 42 hits including nine home runs, a triple and nine doubles in yesterday’s 18-16 I-Cubs victory. Each side used six pitchers, and the two combined to throw 408 pitches in the game. According to MLB Pipeline, nine home runs ties the Minor League high this year, while 42 hits is the most since Sugar Land and El Paso combined for 43 knocks on June 20, 2021. According to MLB Pipeline, only 10 Minor League games since 2005 have had more combined total bases, with the most being 112 on June 28, 2009. At least one team scored in each frame, while both teams scored in four of the eight opportunities. Louisville had two five-run innings and Iowa had a six-run fourth and a five-run seventh inning. Iowa had two different players record two home runs in the game, combining for seven total as a team, just one short of tying the franchise record. It was the first time Iowa had seven home runs in a game since Aug. 30, 2010, at Albuquerque.

TOP DOGS: Both team’s top prospects shined yesterday, with Cincinnati’s Nos. 1, 5 and 6 prospects going 11-for-16 with 22 total bases. Elly De La Cruz (No. 1) ended the game going 4-for-6 with a double, triple, three runs batted in, three runs scored and a stolen base. Matt McLain (No. 5) went 2-for-4 with four runs scored, a double, two runs batted in and two walks. Christian Encarnacion-Strand (No. 6) registered a five-hit game, going 5-for-6 with two runs scored, a double, two home runs and six runs batted in. On the other side, Chicago’s No. 6 prospect Matt Mervis went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, a home run, two runs batted in and a walk.

AGAINST LOUISVILLE: After combining to score 34 runs on 42 hits in yesterday’s game, Iowa and Louisville are set to play game four of their six-game series tonight. The I-Cubs enter tonight’s game with a 2-1 series lead, holding a three-game lead all-time against the Bats, at 24-21. At home Iowa is now 15-9 against Louisville all-time, while going 9-12 on the road against the Bats. A win tonight for Iowa would secure at least a series tie in their current six-game series.

SHORT HOPS: Christopher Morel now leads the International League in homers (10), runs scored (25) and extra base hits (18)...Iowa’s errorless game yesterday broke their streak of six games straight with at least one...Iowa and Louisville’s combined 42 hits is the second most in any MiLB game in the last five years... Dom Nuñez was the only hitter on either team to not record a hit in yesterday’s contest, the other eight I-Cubs batters all recorded multi-hit performances.