IOWA CUBS (12-14, 42-56) at GWINNETT STRIPERS (14-11, 52-47)
July 26 • 12:05 PM CT • Gwinnett Field • Lawrenceville, GA
RHP Grant Kipp (0-0, 6.91) vs. RHP JR Ritchie (5-2, 3.22)
TODAY’S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and the Gwinnett Stripers are set to play the final game of a six-game series today at Gwinnett Field...right hander Grant Kipp is set to make his 4th start this season with Iowa...right-handed pitcher JR Ritchie is set to start for Gwinnett.
CAUSE YOU HAD A BAD DAY: Iowa was swept in the doubleheader yesterday against Gwinnett, falling 8-0 in game one and 5-3 in game two...Owen Ayers had two hits in game one, while Chas McCormick hit two doubles in game two...The I-Cubs were shutout in game one, marking the fourth time they have been shutout in a game this season...after falling behind 4-0 after one inning in game two, they came back to make it a one run game with the tying run on third base in the third and fourth innings, but could not close the deficit...this marks the second time Iowa has been swept in a doubleheader this season after losing two games to Omaha on April 10 at Principal Park...the last time they were swept in a road doubleheader was April 25, 2024 at Buffalo...in game two of the doubleheader, Iowa matched their season low for hits in a game (3), the fifth time they have done so this year.
SMALL SKID: The I-Cubs dropped their fourth consecutive game last night after winning their three previous games...the I-Cubs were 7-3 in their last ten games prior to losing four in a row this week...the losing streak is the longest Iowa has had since losing five in a row from May 30 - June 25 and trails their season long eight game losing streak from May 10 -19.
CONGRATS TRI!: Chicago Cubs’ No. 7 prospect and infielder/outfielder James Triantos made his Major League debut last night and recorded his first big league hit in his first at-bat against Pittsburgh...he later scored on an RBI double by fellow former I-Cub Pedro Ramirez...at the time of his promotion, Triantos ranked among International League leaders in doubles (T-3rd, 24), hits (2nd, 107) and batting average (8th, .306)...since June 2, Triantos is batting .340 (53-for-156) with 14 doubles, three home runs and 25 RBI...James is one of four players in all of minor league baseball with at least 107 hits and 18 stolen bases, along with Josue De Paula (LAD), Andy Perez (COL) and Roldy Brito (COL)...he is the only Cubs farmhand in Triple-A with such numbers.
HOMERLESS: The I-Cubs have not hit a home run in their previous five games, with their last home run coming on a three-run blast by Owen Miller on July 19 at Memphis...the drought is one game short of the longest span Iowa has gone without a home run in a game this season, trailing their season high six game drought from May 25-June 3 against Indianapolis and Toledo.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PAUL!: Today, Iowa Cubs pitcher Paul Campbell celebrates his 31st birthday...he shares this date of birthday with Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm and current Cleveland starting pitcher Gavin Williams...he also shares a birthday with Rolling Stones member Mick Jagger.
BATEMAN: Brett Bateman extended his hitting streak to 12 games last night, setting a new personal season high...it is the fourth longest active hitting streak in the International League...he previously had one other 11 game hitting streak this season from June 5 - June 20...it is also the longest hitting streak of his professional baseball career...Brett’s longest hitting streak of his pro career prior to the 2026 season was nine games, a feat he reached twice from Aug. 28 - Sep. 6, 2025 with Double-A Knoxville and July 5 - July 20, 2024 with High-A South Bend...Brett is slashing .375/.444/.582 (22-for-52) with five doubles, a triple, a home run and 11 RBI during the stretch...last Sunday, Brett hit his third home run of the season, which is a career best...Bateman entered the 2026 season with four career home runs in professional baseball...he ranks among International League leaders in on-base percentage (T-2nd, .432), walks (T-6th, 56) and batting average (6th, .311)...the I-Cubs have had just on player lead the league in on-base percentage as Terrell Lowery tied for the lead in 1997 with a .401 mark...Brett is one of three players in the International League with at least 75 hits and 55 walks, along with Lehigh Valley’s Christian Cairo and former Iowa Cub and current Rochester Red Wing Christian Franklin.
AYE-RS!: Chicago Cubs’ No. 8 overall prospect Owen Ayers made his Triple-A debut last Friday night at Memphis, going 3-for-4 with a walk...Ayers is batting .333 (8-for-24) with one double, four RBI and two stolen bases since joining the I-Cubs...Ayers played in 65 games in Knoxville, batting .304 with 16 home runs and 48 RBI...since being promoted to Iowa last Friday, Owen is batting .285 (6-for-21) with four RBI...at the time of his promotion, Ayers ranked first in the Southern League in on-base percentage (.417), slugging percentage (.591), and OPS (1.008), second in batting average, third in extra-base hits (33), fifth in total bases (136), and sixth in home runs.
THE JAG: I-Cubs outfielder Kevin Alcántara was optioned to Iowa on Friday...he returns to the I-Cubs with a 35 game on-base streak, the longest streak in the International League this season and third longest in all of Triple-A...if he reaches base in his next appearance, he will set a new Iowa Cubs franchise record for an on-base streak, as he is currently tied with Jonathon Long for the franchise record at 35 games that Long set from July 9 - Aug. 24, 2025.
ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END: Iowa’s BJ Murray’s 31 game on-base streak came to an end last night...he was batting .357 (40-for-112) with 26 walks during that span...it was the second-longest streak in the International League this season, trailing Cubs’ outfielder Kevin Alcántara who has an active 35-game run from April 24-June 28 that matches Jonathon Long’s franchise record.