May 13, 2023 – International League (IL) – Iowa Cubs News Release
IOWA CUBS (22-12) vs. TOLEDO MUD HENS (18-18)
Saturday – 6:08 PM – Principal Park – Des Moines, IA
RHP Chris Clarke (0-1, 3.60) vs. LHP Sam Clay (0-0, 0.00)
TONIGHT’S GAME: Iowa and Toledo are set for a 6:08 first pitch in game five of their six-game series tonight, with Iowa having already won the series with victories in each of the first four games. Chris Clarke will get the ball for the I-Cubs, set to make his fourth start of the year and first since game two of their doubleheader on May 6 against Columbus. In that game, he worked up to 4.0 innings, his longest outing of the season so far. He allowed just two earned runs on four hits and a walk, but didn’t strike out a single batter. He had struck out five batters in each of his first two starts of the season. The 25-year-old is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA through his first three starts, looking for his first win of the season tonight. Opposite of Clarke will be lefty Sam Clay, set to make his first start since 2019, when he started one game for Double-A Pensacola. Clay has pitched in just one game for Toledo this year, coming earlier this series, when he spun a scoreless inning in the first game against Iowa. He was a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks to start the year and was released on March 24, signed to a minor league contract with Detroit on April 30 and was assigned to the Mud Hens on May 9.
FOUR IN A ROW: With last night’s victory, Iowa matched their season-long four game win streak. The I-Cubs entered this series on a three-game losing streak, losing each of their final three games in Columbus. They snapped that with a 6-1 victory on Tuesday night. Iowa went on to win 3-2 on Wednesday and 5-4 on Thursday, with their 10-2 win Friday night bringing them to four straight. Iowa’s previous four game streak came from March 31-April 6. A win tonight would set a new season long streak of five. The I-Cubs secured their fifth series win of the season last night as well.
RÍOS HAS ARRIVED: Edwin Ríos joined Iowa on May 9 after being optioned from Chicago. He made his first start that day, recording his first hit as an I-Cub on a double in the bottom of the fourth. The infielder was hitless in his second appearance on Wednesday night. Ríos, however, put on a show on Friday night at Principal Park. The Puerto Rico native launched his first I-Cubs homerun 376 feet into the right field bleachers in his first at-bat. He went on to walk twice…
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