PAPILLION, Neb. (Interstat) — Braxton Garrett struck out six over five innings and BJ Murray Jr. hit a grand slam as the Iowa Cubs beat the Omaha Storm Chasers 10-2 on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in the first game of a Triple-A International League doubleheader at Werner Park.

Iowa, the visiting team, finished with 12 hits and drew five walks while sending 13 batters to the plate in an eight-run sixth inning. Omaha had six hits and drew two walks. The Cubs scored twice in the fourth before Omaha answered with a run in the fifth. The Storm Chasers added their final run in the seventh on Omar Hernandez’s home run. The game took 2 hours, 20 minutes, and the announced attendance was 5,603.

Garrett earned the win to improve to 8-6. He allowed one earned run on five hits over five innings, walked one and struck out six. Henry Williams took the loss, falling to 7-8, after giving up two earned runs on five hits over five innings with one walk and six strikeouts. Jayden Murray followed Garrett with two innings of relief, allowing one earned run on one hit with one walk and five strikeouts. Scott Alexander pitched a scoreless inning for Omaha, yielding one hit with two walks and three strikeouts.

The Cubs opened the scoring in the fourth. James Triantos singled, moved to second on Chas McCormick’s groundout and scored on Jordan Nwogu’s single to center. Jackson Cluff then doubled to center, his eighth of the season, bringing home Nwogu. Ben Cowles had doubled in the third, his 24th of the season, but was stranded. Omaha cut the deficit in the fifth when Abraham Toro doubled, advanced on Peyton Wilson’s flyout and scored on Alejo Lopez’s single. Garrett limited the damage after Drew Waters reached on a throwing error, striking out Gavin Cross to end the inning.

Murray provided the decisive swing in the sixth. After McCormick doubled home Owen Ayers and Nwogu doubled, Ben Cowles singled home Nwogu. Jackson Cluff was hit by a pitch, Ethan Hearn was hit by a pitch, and Hayden Cantrelle walked to force in Cluff. Murray then hit a grand slam to left field, his 17th home run of the season, clearing the bases and giving Iowa a 10-1 lead. Murray finished 1 for 3 with four RBIs. Nwogu went 2 for 4 with an RBI, McCormick went 2 for 4 with an RBI, Cowles went 2 for 3 with an RBI, and Cluff went 1 for 3 with an RBI. Triantos singled four times and scored once.

Omaha’s best moment came in the seventh when Hernandez homered to left field, his first of the season. Hernandez finished 2 for 3 with one RBI. Drew Waters doubled in the first for Omaha. Brett Squires, Matthew Lugo and Carson Roccaforte were among the Storm Chasers who were held in check. Jayden Murray struck out five over two innings, including two in a perfect sixth and two more in the seventh before Hernandez connected.

The win moved Iowa to 60-80-3 this season, while Omaha dropped to 62-79-1. Iowa had won the previous meeting 3-2 on Thursday. The 10-run output matched Iowa’s total from Tuesday’s 10-2 win at Omaha. Garrett had also won his previous start on Sept. 11 against Toledo, pitching five scoreless innings with four strikeouts. The teams were scheduled to play the second game of the doubleheader later Friday, and the series was set to continue Saturday and Sunday.

Before the game, Interstat’s game simulator projected a 4-3 Omaha victory, and its ELO system gave Omaha a 53 percent probability to win.