The Iowa Cubs can lock up at least a split of their 6-game series with the Louisville Bats after taking the first 2 games at Principal Park.
The Iowa Cubs (11-6) remain a half-game behind the first-place Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in the International League after winning the first two games of their six-game set with the Louisville Bats (7-10). The Cubs look to lock up no worse than a split of the series on Thursday when they host Louisville in a matinee on Thursday at Principal Park in in Des Moines. Iowa features two of the top 100 prospects in baseball per MLB Pipeline, with outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong ranked 16th and outfielder Owen Caissie checking in at No. 44. Right-hander Connor Phillips of the Bats holds the No. 64 position on that list.
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Game Date: April 18, 2024
Game Time: 1 p.m. ET
TV: Marquee Sports Network
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The Cubs took the lead on Wednesday on Caissie’s solo homer in the fifth and put the game away in the sixth when Matt Mervis lined a two-run double to right field, taking a 4-1 lead and holding on for a 4-3 victory. Caissie finished 2-for-3 and slashes .273/.412/.455 with a homer and nine RBI. Crow-Armstrong went 1-for-5 and is at .206/.231/.413 with two home runs and five RBI so far.
Louisville, which has lost three of its last four, got on the board first with a run in the third. P.J. Higgins cracked a two-run homer in the eighth and finished 2-for-2 with a pair of walks.
The Bats send veteran minor-leaguer Tyler Gilbert to the hill on Thursday. The 30-year-old left-hander makes his third start and fourth appearance, having surrendered nine runs in 6.2 innings thus far. Iowa’s starter has yet to be determined.
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