April 1 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs at Louisville Bats
Published on April 1, 2026 under International League (IL)
Iowa Cubs News Release
IOWA CUBS (1-3) at LOUISVILLE BATS (4-0)
April 1 - 11:05 AM CT - Louisville Slugger Park - Louisville, KY
RHP Connor Noland (0-0, -.--) vs. RHP Chase Petty (0-0, -.--)
TODAY'S GAME: The Iowa Cubs and the Louisville Bats are set the play the second of a six-game series today at Louisville Slugger Field...right-hander Connor Noland is set to make his first start of the season and his 38th career appearance (32nd start) with Iowa...right-hander Chase Petty is slated to start for the Bats.
WALK-OFF LOSS: The Iowa Cubs fell in the series opener last night to the Louisville Bats by a 8-7 score...Rece Hinds hit a two-run, walk-off homer for Louisville in the ninth inning...starter Riley Martin worked 3.0 innings and allowed one run on three hits with three strikeouts and Ryan Rolison pitched 1.2 scoreless frames in relief with three strikeouts...Hayden Cantrelle went 3-for-4 with a homer and Kevin AlcaÃÂntara and Justin Dean also homered for Iowa.
ROSTER RUNDOWN: In conjunction with the Chicago Cubs, the Iowa Cubs on Friday announced their Opening Day roster...the roster features 16 players with Major League service time and 16 players who have past suited up for Iowa...additionally, the roster features seven players on the Cubs' Top 30 Prospects List according to MLB.com, including RHP Jaxon Wiggins (No. 2), OF Kevin AlcaÃÂntara (No. 4), INF Jonathon Long (No. 7), INF Pedro RamiÃÂrez (No. 9), INF James Triantos (No. 10), OF Brett Bateman (No. 21) and LHP Riley Martin (No. 28).
LONG BALL: Jonathan Long, the No. 7 overall prospect in the Chicago Cubs minor league system (MLB.com), was named the 2025 Buck O'Neill Chicago Cubs Minor League Player of the Year...former I-Cub Moises Ballesteros received the award in 2023 and 2024...Long batted .305 (157-for-514) with 23 doubles, 20 home runs and 91 RBI...he ranked among International League leaders in hits (1st), total bases (2nd, 246), runs scored (2nd, 86), walks (3rd, 79), RBI (3rd, 91) and on- base percentage (5th, .404)...Long reached base in 35 straight games from July 9-Aug. 24 setting an I-Cubs record since data was made available in 2005...his 157 hits were the most by an I-Cub since Felix Pie (158) in 2006.
CRAZY CANTRELLE: Hayden Cantrelle went 3-for-4 with two runs, a double, a home run, three RBI and two stolen bases last night...he became the first I-Cub to have at least two extra-base hits and two stolen bases in a game since John Andreoli on May 8, 2015 vs. Columbus...marked the first time Cantrelle has accomplished the feat in his career.
HEARTBREAKER: Last night marked the first time the I-Cubs have lost via a walk-off home run since June 12, 2024 at Columbus (Juan Brito) and their first walk-off loss since Aug. 9, 2025 at St. Paul...as Iowa Cubs broadcaster Jason Kempf pointed out, the I-Cubs have been leading in 26 of the 36 innings they have played but sit at 1-3.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PEDRO!: Cubs No. 9 prospect Pedro RamiÃÂrez celebrates his 22nd birthday today...he shares this date of birth with Hall of Famer Phil Niekro and three-time all-star Daniel Murphy...he also shares a birthday with pro wrestler Randy Orton and Heisman Trophy winner Mike Rozier.
SPEED KILLS: Justin Dean hit his first home of the season last night and is slashing .214/.421/.643 this season...his homer marked the first leadoff home run by an I-Cub since Christian Franklin on May 23, 2025 at Columbus...he is one of three players in the International League to score a run in all four games this season.
THE JAGUAR: Cubs No. 4 prospect Kevin AlcaÃÂntara hit his second home run of the season last night...he is one of just nine players in the International League to have two home runs through four games.
PUNCHIES: The I-Cubs have struck out 51 through four games this season, which is the second-most in Triple-A, trailing leaders and today's opponent Louisville (54)...Iowa struck out 17 batters Friday night which was tied for the most by any team in the International League with Worcester...marked just the third time Iowa has tallied at least 17 strikeouts since the start of 2025, along with May 16 vs. St. Paul (17) and Sept. 4 vs. Omaha (17).
International League Stories from April 1, 2026
- Red Wings Stave off RailRiders, Win Home Opener - Rochester Red Wings
- Back-and-Forth Battle Goes to Rochester - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- Saints Fall Short Despite Rodriguez' Grand Slam, 5-4 to WooSox - St. Paul Saints
- Redbirds Clinch Best Start in Franchise History with Walk-Off HBP - Memphis Redbirds
- Toledo Loses Game 2 in a 5 Game Series against Syracuse - Toledo Mud Hens
- Storm Chasers Drop Home Opener against Bisons - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Storm Chasers Shut out Bisons for First Win - Omaha Storm Chasers
- Eighth-Inning Offense Powers Syracuse over Toledo for First Home Win in 2026 - Syracuse Mets
- Bisons Blanked by Omaha 3-0 on Wednesday - Buffalo Bisons
- Iowa Offense Comes Alive in 12-7 Victory in Louisville - Iowa Cubs
- Young Strong in 2026 Debut; Norfolk Can't Keep Up in Extras - Norfolk Tides
- Sugar Land Slugs Their Way to Win over Jacksonville - Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
- Bats Winning Streak Ends with 12-7 Loss - Louisville Bats
- MLB All-Star Zach Wheeler Scheduled to Pitch at DBAP Friday, April 3rd - Durham Bulls
- Going to Bat for Small Business Presented by PNC - Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders
- WooSox Score in Bunches, Take Down St. Paul 19-3 - Worcester Red Sox
- April 1 Game Notes: Iowa Cubs at Louisville Bats - Iowa Cubs
- Stripers Outlast Round Rock 5-3 in 10 Innings - Gwinnett Stripers
- Sounds Win Second Straight with 7-3 Victory over Charlotte - Nashville Sounds
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