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Paniagua Walk-Off HR Lifts AZL Cubs
Jose Paniagua belted a walk-off solo home run with one out in the bottom of the 9th, as the AZL Cubs scored two runs in the 6th, one in the 7th, one in the 8th, and one in the 9th to overcome a four-run deficit and edge the AZL Mariners 9-8 in Arizona League action last night at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.
Paniagua's blast led to a wild celebration by Cubs players, who mobbed Paniagua as he arrived at home plate. There were about seven people in the Cubs Spring Training stadium at the time, so it was kind of like a riot in a public library.
Jose Leal drove-in five runs with an RBI single, a bases-loaded triple, and a solo HR and Austin Cousino ripped three singles and scored twice for the Mariners in a losing cause.
18-year old SS Andruw Monasterio knocked-in three runs for the Cubs with two run scoring singles, and made a spectacular run-saving leaping catch with one out in the top of the 9th. He spent the rest of the inning "wind-milling" his left arm between pitches, so he may have strained something in his left shoulder while making the catch. Monasterio was formerly a switch-hitter, but now hits only RH. He slapped at the ball when he hit LH, but he drives the ball with authority RH. It was just a matter of getting used to htting RH versus RHP, and he has accomplished that.
Cubs SP RHP Enrique de los Rios had a poor outing, allowing four runs on five hits and an HBP and two WP through the first two innings. The 20-year old lanky Venezuelan allowed four more hits over his final two innings, but did not allow any more runs thanks in part to a timely inning-ending 4-3 DP turned by slick-fielding second-baseman Carlos Sepulveda in the top of the 4th.
RHRP John Michael Knighton (Cubs 2014 17th round draft pick - Central Alabama CC) followed de los Rios to the mound and was also hit hard, allowing four runs on five hits (including the Leal HR in the 5th and bases-loaded triple in the 6th). Knighton (known as "Bama" by his teammates) features a "natural cutter," and he displayed the best control (highest percentage of strikes thrown) of any of the Cubs pitchers who were at Extended Spring Training, but sometimes he throws too many strikes;
Here is the abridged box score (Cubs players only):
AZL CUBS LINEUP:
1. Robert Garcia, RF: 2-5 (6-3, 1B, 3B, 4-3, 1-3, 2 R)
2. Carlos Sepulveda, 2B: 0-3 (F-7, F-8 SF, E-4, BB, 4-3, R, 2 RBI, SB)
3a. Wldimir Galindo, 1B: 0-2 (K, 2-3)
3b. Jose Paniagua, 1B: 1-3 (5-3, K, HR, R, RBI)
4. Alex Bautista, LF: 0-4 (F-7, E-6, K, P-5)
5. Joey Martarano, DH: 0-2 (P-6, 3-U, HBP, BB, R)
6. Jhonny Pereda, C: 0-2 (BB, 5-3, HBP, 5-3, 2 R)
7. Roberto Caro, CF: 0-2 (BB, K, K, BB, 2 R)
8. Carlos Jimenez, 3B: 1-2 (BB, 5-3, 1B, 1-3 SH, RBI)
9. Andruw Monasterio, SS: 2-4 (1B, F-7, 1B, F-7, 3 RBI)
AZL CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Enrique de los Rios: 4.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R (4 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 2 WP, 1 GIDP, 6/3 GO/FO, 71 pitches (44 strikes)
2. John Michael Knighton: 2.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R (4 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 3/2 GO/FO, 35 pitches (23 strikes)
3. Ariel Ovando: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 31 pitches (18 strikes)
4. Mark Malave: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 0/2 GO/FO, 18 pitches (12 strikes)
AZL CUBS ERRORS: 1
C Jhonny Pereda: E-2 (errant throw on pick-off atempt at 1st base allowerd runner to advance to 2nd)
AZL CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Jhonny Pereda: 0-1 CS, 1 E (see above)