Cubs & Giants Share Thrill of Victory, Agony of Defeat

18-year old Taiwanese infielder Pin-Chieh Chen had three hits, knocked-in two runs, and stole a base, leading the Cubs to a 4-2 victory on Field #1, while the Giants rallied with five runs in the 7th to win the other game 5-1 on Field #2, as the EXST Cubs and the EXST Giants split a Cactus League Extended Spring Training doubleheader played at Indian School Park in Scottsdale this morning. Both games were pre-planned to be eight-inning affairs, and the two games were played simultaneously with split squads.

Rebel Ridling (appendectomy rehab) played 1B today (he had been restricted to DH in his previous EXST games), and got a total of seven Plate Appearances in the first seven innings of the game on Field #1. He grounded out to second, lined out to CF, and flied out to CF in his first three at bats, before rapping singles in three of his last four ABs. The HR power might not be there yet, but in most other ways he looks like he might be just about ready to move up to Daytona.

20-year old LHP John Mincone (2009 11th round pick out of Suffolk County CC) had a good day on the mound after having poor outings in his previous two EXST appearances, throwing three hitless innings on Field #2, and 20-year old Dominican LHRP Marcos Perez had another perfect outing, mowing down the Giants six up & six down. In four Extended Spring Training appearances, Perez has thrown 7.1 IP of shoutout ball, allowing just one hit (a bunt single) and no walks, while striking out eight.

20-year old lanky 6’5 Australian LHP Cody Hams really struggled, though, getting ripped for five runs on four hits (two singles and two doubles) and two walks while getting just two outs in the bottom of the 7th, as he took the loss on Field #2. Hams has revamped his delivery this year, as he now throws from a near-sidearm arm slot. Some of you may remember Hams as the former cricket bowler who received a $150K bonus from the Cubs in 2008 after paying his own way to the MLB Australian Baseball Academy the previous year to try his hand at baseball. (He had never actually seen a baseball game until he got to the academy, and the second game he ever saw was one where he was the pitcher!).

Two of the recent arrivals from the Cubs Dominican Academy got into their first U. S. game action, as 18-year old 6’1 160 RHP Alvido Jimenez (who had the second-most strikeouts among the pitchers on the Cubs two DSL teams last year) threw a shutout inning of relief (albeit only after walking the bases loaded!) in the game on Field #1, and 21-year old 6’2 170 RHP Jadel Mendez threw a perfect five-pitch 1-2-3 inning (F-9, F-7, 6-3) on Field #2.

In EXST Cubs roster news, RHP Larry Suarez (3.0 IP, 5 H, 3.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP 1/2 BB/K, 39 pitches - 31 strikes, in two appearances at EXST) and outfielders Francisco Guzman (471/500/588 with 7 R, 5 RBI, and 3 SB in five games at EXST) and D. J. Fitzgerald (267/353/400 with 3 R and 4 RBI in five games at EXST) have been promoted to Peoria, and outfielders Jesus Morelli and Alvaro Ramirez have been sent to Fitch Park (Extended Spring Training) from Peoria.

Here are today’s abridged box scores (EXST Cubs players only):

FIELD #1

NOTE: 1B Rebel Ridling batted in seven of the eight innings, getting seven Plate Appearances total in the game.

LINEUP:
X. Rebel Ridling, 1B: 3-7 (4-3, L-8, F-8, 1B, 1B, K, 1B)
1. Rafael Disla, 2B: 2-4 (1B, F-8, 2B, 4-3, CS, R)
2. Arismendy Alcantara, SS: 0-3 (L-7, 5-3, BB, 4-3, R)
3. Charles Thomas, 3B: 2-4 (K, 6-3, 1B, 1B, R, RBI)
4. Xavier Batista, CF: 1-4 (K, K, 1B, K, R, RBI)
5. Sergio Burruel, C: 0-4 (K, F-7, 1-2-3 GIDP, K)
6. Pin-Chieh Chen, DH: 3-3 (1B, 1B, 1B, 2 RBI, SB)
7. Blair Springfield, LF: 0-3 (K, F-7, P-6)
8. Melvin Camarena, RF: 0-3 (K, L-8, K)

PITCHERS:
1. Luis Liria – 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 2 HBP, 1 WP, 5/1 GO/FO, 48 pitches (30 strikes)
2. Alvido Jimenez – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 K, 1/0 GO/FO, 19 pitches (6 strikes)
3. Carlos Rojas – 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 3/1 GO/FO, 37 pitches (21 strikes)
4. Marcos Perez – 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 4/1 GO/FO, 18 pitches (12 strikes)

ERRORS (1):
2B Rafael Disla E-4 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base – did not score)

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Sergio Burruel: 2-3 CS

OUTFIELD ASSIST:
LF Blair Springfield threw out runner at plate 7-2 as runner was trying to score from 2nd base on ground ball single to LF with two outs in the bottom of the 3rd inning.

FIELD #2

LINEUP:
1. Vismeldy Bieneme, 2B: 0-4 (K, 6-4 FC, 4-3, K)
2. Runey Davis, RF: 2-3 (5-3, 1B, 1B, SB, CS)
3. Albert Hernandez, LF: 1-3 (1B, K, 5-3)
4. Brandon May, 1B: 1-3 (6-4 FC, 4-3, 2B, R)
5. Jonathan Mota, C: 0-1 (BB, 4-3, 1-3 SH)
6. Bobby Wagner, 3B: 1-1 (BB, BB, 1B, RBI)
7. Carlos Romero, DH #1: 0-3 (K, 6-4 FC, K)
8. Cody Shields, CF: 0-3 (6-3 GIDP, 4-3, F-8)
9. Wes Darvill, SS: 0-3 (5-3, 3-U, F-7)
10. Jae-Hoon Ha, DH #2: 1-3 (1B, 4-3, K)

PITCHERS:
1. John Mincone – 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 GIDP, 3/3 GO/FO, 29 pitches (16 strikes)
2. Jadel Mendez – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 5 pitches (4 strikes)
3. Danny Keefe – 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 27 pitches (19 strikes)
4. Cody Hams – 0.2 IP, 4 H, 5 R (5 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 1/0 GO/FO, 30 pitches (17 strikes)

ERRORS: NONE

CATCHERS DEEFENSE:
Jonathan Mota: 1-2 CS

ATTENDANCE: 8

WEATHER: Mostly cloudy and windy, with temperatures in the 60’s