Game Notes July 9: Iowa Cubs vs. St. Paul Saints

IOWA CUBS (6-8, 36-50) vs. ST. PAUL SAINTS (7-6, 49-38)

July 9 • 6:38 PM CT • Principal Park • Des Moines, IA

LHP Josh Fleming (3-5, 3.08) vs. RHP Ryan Gallagher (2-3, 6.89)

TONIGHT’S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and the St. Paul Saints are set to play the third of a six-game series at Principal Park today...left- hander Josh Fleming is slated to make his I-Cubs debut...right-hander Ryan Gallagher will start for St. Paul.

DELIGHTFUL: The I-Cubs won the second game of the series yesterday over St. Paul by a 3-1 score...Owen Miller led Iowa with three hits (all doubles) and James Triantos added two more...starter Andrew Wantz picked up his fourth win as he worked 5.2 innings and allowed one run on three hits with seven strikeouts... Luis Peralta (0.1 IP), Phil Maton (1.1) and Vince Reilly (1.1) all had scoreless outings out of the bullpen with Reilly earning his second save.

TRI: Chicago Cubs’ No. 8 prospect James Triantos has hit safely in 18 of his last 21 games and is batting .354 (29-for-82) during that span... Tri ranks among International League leaders in hits (4th) and batting average (T-8th) during the stretch...Triantos currently ranks among the International League leaders on the season in hits (T-3rd, 95) and doubles (T-4th, 20)...just two other players match Triantos’ 95 hits and 17 stolen bases this season, Nashville’s Luis Lara and Gwinnett’s Jim Jarvis.

HOMETOWN KID: Brett Bateman went 4-for-4 Tuesday night, the first time he has recorded four hits in a game in his professional career... he reached base five times in a game for the second time this season, last doing so with three hits and two walks on June 27 versus Buffalo... Brett has reached base safely in 21 of his last 26 games, including a season high 11-game hitting streak from June 6-19...since June 1, Bateman is batting .333 (34-for-102) with eight doubles, one home run, nine RBI and 20 walks...Brett had two doubles last night for the first time in his career... he currently ranks second in the IL in on-base percentage (.430) and tied for fifth in walks (51).

RARE OCCURRENCE: Friday night, BJ Murray had his second game of the season in which he had a triple and a home run...just five players for the I-Cubs have had two such games in a season since 2005, Murray (2026), Jonathon Long (2025), Brett Jackson (2012), Andres Torres (2008) and Scott McClain (2005).

CADET KELLY: I-Cubs Reliever Antoine Kelly pitched two scoreless innings of relief on Sunday, lowering his ERA to 0.71 since joining the I-Cubs...Kelly earned his first win as an Iowa Cub Thursday night...in eight appearances with Iowa, he has pitched 12.2 innings, allowing one run on eight hits one home run) and striking out 13 batters against just three walks...Kelly was acquired via trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 7.

DAY TRIP: The I-Cubs improved to 18-16 in day games this season vs. 18-34 in night games...despite having the worst record in the International League West Divison, Iowa has the third most daytime wins, trailing Memphis and Columbus who both have 19.

DOUBLE TROUBLE: I-Cubs infielder Owen Miller tallied three hits all of which went for doubles yesterday...marked the first time an I-Cub has tallied three doubles in a game since Pete Crow-Armstrong on May 24, 2024...in Owen’s last 13 games, he is batting .455 (25- for-55) with 11 runs scored, seven doubles, three triples, two home runs and 14 RBI.

WHAT A RELIEF: I-Cubs reliever Jayden Murray tossed 3.0 scoreless innings Tuesday night with two strikeouts...Murray has not allowed a run dating back to May 27 with Triple-A Sugar Land vs. Oklahoma City...in those seven scoreless appearances, Murray has tossed 10.0 innings and allowed just three hits with 11 strikeouts...the seven-game scoreless streak is tied for longest by an I-Cub this season, along with Antoine Kelly.

BJ BALLIN’: I-Cubs infielder BJ Murray is batting .414 (29-for-70) with four doubles, three triples, five home runs and nine RBI in his last 17 games...BJ has reached base in 23 straight games, which is tied for the fourth-longest active streak in the International League and the second-longest by an I-Cub this season, trailing Kevin Alcántara’s 35-game streak... Murray tallied his sixth triple of the season last Friday night, becoming the first Iowa Cub since John Andreoli (8) in 2017 to have at least six triples in a season.

RHYMES WITH PANTS: Yesterday’s starter Andrew Wantz picked up his fourth win and his second in his last four appearances...Wantz pitched 5.2 innings and allowed one run on three hits with seven strikeouts...marked his most innings and strikeouts since April 4, 2024 vs. Tacoma (6.0 IP, 11 strikeouts).

CB: The I-Cubs scored all three of their runs yesterday in the second inning as Christian Bethancourt hit a three-run homer, driving in James Triantos and Chas McCormick... marked his ninth and first since June 26 vs. Buffalo.

AGAINST ST. PAUL: The I-Cubs and the St. Paul Saints are meeting for the second time this season and first time at Principal Park...they met in at CHS Field in St. Paul on April 28-May 3, where the Saints won the series 4-2...Brett Bateman is slashing .474/.630/.842 (9-for-19) in seven games vs. St. Paul.