IOWA CUBS (5-6, 35-48) vs. TOLEDO MUD HENS (7-4, 41-44)
July 5 • 3:05 PM CT • Fifth Third Field • Toledo, OH
RHP Will Sanders (5-0, 4.21) vs. RHP Dylan File (4-5, 6.17)
TODAY’S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and the Toledo Mud Hens are set to play the finale of a six-game series at Fifth Third Park today...right-hander Will Sanders is slated to make his eighth start with Iowa this season...right-hander Dylan File will start for Toledo.
OH SO CLOSE: The I-Cubs were walked off by Toledo, falling 7-6 to the Mud Hens last night...Brett Bateman and Jonathon Long had multi-hit games and hit home runs, James Triantos had three hits and an RBI, Ben Cowles had two hits, and Owen Miller had two hits including an RBI triple...after going down 5-0 headed into the fifth inning, Iowa would go on to score one run in the fifth inning and four more runs in the seventh inning to tie the game...the I-Cubs briefly took the lead in the ninth inning after Moises Ballesteros drove in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly...Toledo strung together four straight hits to begin the ninth inning to tie and win the game...it was the fourth walk-off win by an opponent this year.
TRI: Chicago Cubs’ No. 8 prospect James Triantos has hit safely in 17 of his last 18 games and is batting .380 (27-for-71) during that span...Tri ranks among International League leaders in hits (1st) and batting average (4th) during the stretch...Triantos currently ranks among the International League leaders on the season in hits (2nd, 93) doubles (2nd, 20), and batting average (7th, .307)...just two other players match Triantos’ 92 hits and 17 stolen bases this season, Nashville’s Luis Lara and Gwinnett’s Jim Jarvis.
SERIES-LY: The I-Cubs are looking to win their second series of the 2026 season, their lone series win came March 31-April 5, defeating Louisville 5-1...this is the third time this year Iowa has led a series 3-1 with a chance to clinch the series, with opportunities against Indianapolis May 30-31 and June 20-21.
BATEMAN!: I-Cubs outfielder Brett Bateman has reached base safely in 20 of his last 24 games, including a season high 11-game hitting streak from June 6-19...in the month of June, Bateman batted .316 (24-for-76) with 14 runs scored, four doubles, seven RBI, and 17 walks...Brett currently ranks third in the International League in on-base percentage (.425) and fifth in walks (50).
WILL THE THRILL: Iowa starting Pitcher Will Sanders is set to make his fifth start since returning to Iowa off the injured list on June 12...during that span, Sanders has posted a 3-0 record with a 2.57 ERA, allowing six earned runs in 21.0 innings pitched, with 23 strikeouts against just four walks...Sanders currently holds the third-longest win streak (5) in the International League.
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).
BJ BALLIN’: I-Cubs infielder BJ Murray is batting .426 (26-for-61) with four doubles, three triples, four home runs and seven RBI in his last 15 games...BJ has reached base in 20 straight games, which is the ninth-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 Friday night, becoming the first Iowa Cub since John Andreoli (8) in 2017 to have at least six triples in a season...Murray currently leads the International League in batting average (.335), on-base percentage (.433), triples (6), and hits (95), second in OPS (.993), third in total bases (159), and fifth in extra base hits (36).
LONG BALL: last night, 2025 Cubs’ Minor League Player of the Year Jonathon Long hit his ninth home run of the season as part of a two-hit night...marked his fifth home run in his last 15 games and his 29th as an I-Cub...over the last two seasons, Long’s 240 hits is the most of any International League player and his .838 OPS ranks third.
CADET KELLY: I-Cubs Reliever Antoine Kelly earned his first win as an Iowa Cub Thursday night...in seven appearances with Iowa, he has posted a 0.84 ERA across 10.2 innings pitched, allowing one run on eight hits one home run) and striking out 11 batters against just three walks...Kelly was acquired via trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 7.
MILLER TIME: I-Cubs infielder Owen Miller extended his hitting streak to a season high six games last night after going 2-for-5 with a triple...Miller reached base five times Thursday night, going 3-for-3 with two walks and two RBI...it marked the second time Miller has reached base five times in a game this season, last doing so on May 29 at Indianapolis...in his last ten games, Miller is batting .465 (20-for-43) with 11 runs scored, four doubles, three triples, two home runs and 14 RBI...Miller has scored a run in six consecutive games which is the second-longest active streak in the International League and tied for third-longest such streak by an I-Cub this season, trailing Chas McCormick who scored in eight straight games from April 11-22...Miller has tallied an RBI in four straight games which is tied for the longest active streak in the IL.