As the I-Cubs play their last home series of 2024, relive the Top 10 plays by the home team at Principal Park this season. From walk-off home runs to sliding catches and throws from the outfield to get runners at home, your I-Cubs had many memorable moments in Des Moines this season.
10. James Triantos diving play at second base, August 31
Triantos ranged to his right and dove to scoop up Nolan Gorman’s ground ball to second, then Triantos threw Gorman out by half a step while falling away toward second base.
9. Matt Mervis 455-foot home run, May 11
The first of two Matt Mervis home runs on May 11th versus the Columbus Clippers went an astounding 455 feet off the scoreboard above the right field bleachers. It was the longest home run hit at Principal Park this season.
8. Trayce Thompson diving catch, August 27
Thompson raced from his center field position into shallow right-center to rob the Redbirds Matt Koperniak of a hit. He reached a top speed of nearly 17 miles per hour to make the play.
7. Owen Caissie outfield assist to save a run, August 4
Locked in a 4-4 tie with the St. Paul Saints, Owen Caissie caught Jair Camargo’s fly ball in right field, and then made a one-hop throw to catcher Caleb Knight to throw out Rylan Bannon at home and keep the game tied. There is mor from this game further down on this list.
6. Hayden Cantrelle-Miles Mastrobuoni-Matt Mervis double play, May 24
Cantrelle, the shortstop, ranged to his left toward second base, lunged to scoop up the ground ball hit by Indianapolis Indians’ Liover Peguero and flipped it to Mastrobuoni using his glove. Masrobuoni turned and fired it to Mervis to get Peguero by half a step.
5. Jack Rienheimer inside-the park home run, June 27
Rienheimer took Saint Paul Saints pitcher Jeff Brigham’s first pitch to the warning track in dead center and center fielder Will Holland, who could not track it down. While he was getting to it, Holland injured his leg and fell down. Left fielder Matt Wallner scooped the ball up and fired it into the cutoff man who then threw it home, but Rienhiemer beat the throw and slid in safely for the first I-Cubs inside-the-park home run at Principal Park since 2013.
4. Moises Ballesteros pinch-hit grand slam, July 28
Down 9-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Indianapolis Indians, pinch-hitter Moises Ballesteros stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and sent a 426-foot blast to dead center. It is the only pinch-hit home run this season and first since April 9, 2023.
3. Chase Strumpf walk-off home run, July 5
On the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth inning, Chase Strumpf broke a 5-5 tie with the Omaha Storm Chasers and ended the game with a blast over the left field wall.
2. Caleb Knight walk-off home run, August 4
With one out in the top of the eleventh inning and the I-Cubs down 9-8 to the St. Paul Saints, Caleb Knight’s second home run of the season won it for the home team.
1. Pete Crow Armstrong home run, May 24
After Indians reliever Willy Peralta threw the first two pitches of the at-bat behind Pete Crow-Armstrong causes tensions between the two teams, the center fielder took his third offering 400 feet over the right field wall and celebrated with an emphatic bat flip.
