Luke Little Sent Down as Iowa Cubs Rained Out in Wild Finish
The Chicago Cubs made a roster move that hits close to home for Iowa fans, sending left-handed pitcher Luke Little from Triple-A Iowa down to Double-A Knoxville. Meanwhile, the Iowa Cubs had a bizarre finish in Louisville, and a rising slugger in South Bend continues to put up numbers that are turning heads across the organization.
What Happened with Luke Little and the Iowa Cubs?
The biggest news for the Iowa Cubs came off the field. Left-hander Luke Little was demoted from Triple-A Iowa to Double-A Knoxville. Little made his first appearance with the Smokies since 2023, pitching the bottom of the eighth inning and picking up the win in a tight 4-3 victory over Montgomery.
Little walked one batter with one out, but quickly erased him with a pickoff move to first base. He then gave up a two-out single before finishing the inning with a strikeout. It was a solid, if brief, return to Double-A action for the big lefty.
On the field in Louisville, the Iowa Cubs played to a frustrating 4-4 tie with the Bats. The game had a strange ending that left Iowa players and fans shaking their heads. Iowa scored five runs in the top of the tenth inning, including a three-run home run by James Triantos. But rain washed out the bottom of the tenth before it could be played, forcing the score to revert to the 4-4 tie.
Starter Doug Nikhazy pitched four innings, giving up two runs on three hits. He struck out six and walked nobody. Both runs came on a fourth-inning home run by Héctor Rodríguez.
Center fielder James Triantos went 2 for 4 with two runs batted in, though he lost three more RBI when the tenth inning was washed away. Right fielder Justin Dean went 2 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base.
How Did the Knoxville Smokies Take Over First Place?
The Knoxville Smokies beat the Montgomery Biscuits 4-3, and combined with a Lookouts loss, the Smokies now sit alone in first place in the Southern League North Division. Knoxville and Chattanooga start a massive six-game series in Knoxville on Tuesday to close out the first half.
Brooks Caple started and allowed three unearned runs on two hits over five innings. A throwing error by Caple himself opened the door for a three-run third inning for Montgomery. He walked three and struck out one.
Yenrri Rojas threw two scoreless innings in relief, allowing just one hit while striking out one. Erian Rodriguez pitched the ninth and earned his first professional save, striking out two and giving up only a two-out single.
At the plate, first baseman Cameron Sisneros hit a solo home run in the eighth to tie the game. It was his first Double-A home run and seventh overall. Sisneros was a perfect 2 for 2 with two walks. DH Andy Garriola hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth that scored the winning run. Garriola went 1 for 4 with a triple. Catcher Owen Ayers doubled twice and walked once. Third baseman Jefferson Rojas went 3 for 5, and right fielder Alex Ramírez went 2 for 5 with three stolen bases.
Is Josiah Hartshorn the Best Hitter in the Cubs Farm System?
It is getting hard to ignore what Josiah Hartshorn is doing in South Bend. The DH hit his eighth home run in just 18 games with South Bend, and his 13th overall this season. Hartshorn went 3 for 4 with a walk, the solo shot, a stolen base, and two RBI. He scored twice.
The only reasonable comparison is Kris Bryant, who hit .355 with 22 home runs in 68 Double-A games back in 2014. Bryant was 22 at the time. Hartshorn is putting up similar power numbers in a shorter window, and he is doing it at a lower level of the minors.
The South Bend Cubs crushed the Peoria Chiefs 10-3. Alfredo Romero started and gave up three runs on three hits over three innings, with all three runs coming on a single home run. Nazier Mulé picked up the win with three scoreless innings in relief, striking out four. Kenton Egbert, Nate Williams, and Ethan Bell each threw a scoreless inning to close it out.
Right fielder Miguel Useche hit a three-run home run in the fifth, his seventh with South Bend. Left fielder Jose Escobar hit a two-run triple in the first. Second baseman Alex Madera went 2 for 5 with three stolen bases, and third baseman Matt Halbach went 2 for 5 with two runs scored.
What About the Myrtle Beach Pelicans?
The Myrtle Beach Pelicans edged the Augusta GreenJackets 6-5. Starter Pierce Coppola went four innings and allowed one run on three hits. David Bracho got the win despite giving up a three-run home run in the seventh, since Coppola did not go the required five innings. Jordan Henriquez earned the save, allowing a solo shot in the ninth before closing the door.
Catcher Logan Poteet had the big bat, going 3 for 4 with a home run, an RBI double, and three total RBI. Poteet now has ten home runs this season. Right fielder Alexey Lumpuy led off the bottom of the first with a solo homer, and left fielder Geuri Lubo added a solo shot in the fourth.
What Does the Luke Little Demotion Mean for Iowa?
Losing a power lefty like Little from the Triple-A roster is a tough blow for Iowa's bullpen depth. The Cubs organization clearly wants Little to work on his command and mechanics in a less pressurized environment. If he can string together consistent outings in Knoxville, a return to Des Moines could happen quickly. For Iowa Cubs fans, the focus now shifts to who steps up in the bullpen while Little works his way back.