Iowa Cubs Wrap: September 29

It’s the final series of the year for the Iowa Cubs and they start it out with a day game at Principal Park against their arch-rivals, the Omaha Storm Chasers.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were blown away by the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals), 10-5.

The wind was howling out to left field in today’s game in Des Moines and Omaha were much better able to take advantage of it thanks to an Iowa bullpen that couldn’t throw strikes.

Omaha jumped out to a 2-0 lead after scoring a run in the top of the second on an Erick Mejia RBI triple and another run in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by Nick Pratto. Both of those runs came off of Iowa starter Blake Whitney.

But Iowa tied it up in the bottom of the third inning when left fielder Jared Young cranked a two-run home run to left. It was Young’s fifth home run for Iowa and ninth overall.

The tie did not last long. Whitney exited the game after three innings and was replaced by tall left-hander Bryan Hudson. Hudson did fine in the fourth inning, allowing just one baserunner on a single, and that was erased by a caught stealing.

But the fifth inning brought trouble for Hudson. After giving up a leadoff double to Angelo Castellanos, Hudson struck out the next batter. But three straight walks then forced in Castellanos and gave Omaha a 3-2 lead. An error by second baseman Levi Jordan made it 4-2 and then a double by MJ Melendez gave Omaha a 6-2 lead. The game was never close again after that.

After the Storm Chasers made it 8-2 in the top of the sixth on a two-run home run of Erich Uelmen, the I-Cubs answered right back with a two-run home run by first baseman Tyler Ladendorf in the bottom of the sixth, making the score 8-4.

But Omaha stretched their lead to 10-4 in the seventh. Iowa had one more run in them in the bottom of the seventh when right fielder Brennen Davis doubled home center fielder Ian Miller. A final two-out rally by the I-Cubs in the bottom of the eighth was snuffed by a terrific catch by shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. on a dying blooper in short left field.

Starter Blake Whitney went three innings and gave up two runs on five hits. He walked no one and struck out one.

The loss went to Bryan Hudson, who allowed four runs, three earned, on three hits over 1.1 innings. Hudson walked three and struck out just one.

Tyler Ladendorf was the hitting hero of the day, going 2 for 2 with a walk and the home run. He also laid down a sacrifice bunt.

Brennen Davis got on base four times today, going 1 for 2 with a double and three walks. Davis scored on the Jared Young home run.

Young was 2 for 5.

Third baseman Christopher Morel went 2 for 4. He scored on Ladendorf’s home run.

The two teams will play again on Thursday evening at Principal Park in Des Moines.