Cubs Win One & Tie Another at Riverview Park
Eloy Jimenez belted an RBI triple and Rony Rodriguez and Justin Marra drilled RBI singles to highlight a three-run 1st inning, Oliver Zapata, doubled, singled, and walked, and Erick Castillo smacked a pinch-hit solo home run, helping the Cubs defeat the Giants 5-3 on Field #5, and Kevin Brown tripled, singled, walked, and scored a run, and Roney Alcala (RBI ground out & a two-run single) and Arnaldo Calero (two run-scoring doubles) drove-in three runs a piece as the Cubs rallied from a four-run deficit to tie the Giants 6-6 on Field #6, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training split-squad doubleheader action this morning at the Under Armour Performance Center at Riverview Park in Mesa, AZ.
Ryan Jones slugged a two-run HR, doubled and scored, and singled for the Giants on Field #6.
Justin Ruggiano (Cubs MLB 15-day DL - hamstring) and Casper Wells (AAA Iowa 7-day DL - back spasms) continued their EXST game rehabs, with Ruggiano playing RF with Squad "B" on Field #5 and Wells playing RF with Squad "A" on Field #6.
Ruggiano played RF for four innings and then moved to DH for one more inning, getting three Plate Appearances in the game. He struck out (swinging) in his first AB, drew a walk his second time up and then (apparently feeling a bit frisky) was thrown-out trying to steal, and he flied out to right in his third PA. He also commited an error, dropping a line-drive that was hit right at him (eventually leading to an unearned run scoring).
Wells played RF for eight innings and went 1-3, with a pop out to 1st, a bloop double (he later scored), a line-out to CF, and a walk.
Meanwhile, C-1B-3B Mark Malave is no longer switch-hitting, He is now batting only RH (and actually has been for a while). Malave drives the ball with more authority RH. and from what I've seen so far, he does not appear to be adversely affected hitting RH versus RHP.
Last year OF Rashad Crawford gave up switch-hitting, opting to hit only LH (to take better advantage of his plus-speed), and that move has worked out well for him.
Here are the abridged box scores from the two games (Cubs players only):
FIELD #5:
CUBS SQUAD "B" LINEUP:
1. Jeffrey Baez, CF: 1-3 (1B, K, HBP, 6-4-3 DP, R, SB)
2a. Justin Ruggiano, RF-DH: 0-2 (K, BB, F-9, CS)
2b. Erick Castillo, PH: 1-1 (HR, R, RBI)
3. Eloy Jimenez, DH #1: 1-3 (3B, 5-3, BB, 6-3, R, RBI)
4. Rony Rodriguez, 1B: 2-4 (1B, K, 5-3 DP, 1B, R, RBI)
5. Oliver Zapata, LF: 2-3 (1B, 2B, L-4, BB, RBI, PO)
6. Justin Marra, C: 1-4 (1B, 1-3, F-7, K, RBI)
7. Elliot Soto, SS: 1-4 (L-1 DP, 1B, 6-3, L-8, R)
8a. Adonis Paula, DH #2: 1-1 (1B)
8b. Ricardo Marcano, PH-RF: 1-2 (2B, 4-3, RBI)
9. Bryant Flete, 2B: 2-3 (6-3, 1B, 1B)
10. Dalfis Ortiz, 3B: 0-3 (5-3, 1-3, E-1)
CUBS SQUAD "B" PITCHERS:
1. Tyler Ihrig: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 4 K, 1 WP, 1 PO, 1 GIDP, 5/2 GO/FO, 61 pitches (41 strikes)
2. Adbert Alzolay: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 3/2 GO/FO, 30 pitches (18 strikes)
3. Greyfer Eregua: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 3/0 GO/FO, 39 pitches (25 strikes)
4. Carlos Llano: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 0/2 GO/FO, 22 pitches (11 strikes)
CUBS SQUAD "B" ERRORS: 3
1. RF Justin Ruggiano - E-9 (dropped line drive allowed batter to reach base safely - eventually scored unearned run)
2. 2B Bryant Flete - E-4 (dropped infield pop fly allowed batter to reach 2nd base safely and unearned run to score)
3. C Justin Marra - E-2 (overthrow on pick-off attempt at 2nd base allowed runner to advance to 3rd)
CUBS SQUAD "B" CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Justin Marra: 0-2 CS, 1 E (see above)
FIELD #6:
CUBS SQUAD "A" LINEUP:
1. Gleyber Torres, SS: 1-4 (BB, 6-3, 5-3, 1B, 4-1)
2. Zak Blair, 2B: 2-5 (4-6-3 DP, 3-U, K, 1B, 1B)
3a. Casper Wells, RF: 1-3 (P-3, 2B, L-8, BB, R)
3b. Shamil Ubiera, RF: 0-1 (6-4-3 DP)
4. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 2-5 (L-8, 1B, L-7, K, 1B, R)
5. Kevin Brown, LF: 2-4 (3B, BB, 1B, 1-3, L-5, R, CS)
6. Roney Alcala, 1B: 1-4 (6-3, 1B, L-7, E-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, SB)
7. Mark Malave, C: 1-4 (1B, 5-U FC, 4-3, E-6, R)
8. Arnaldo Calero, DH: 2-4 (4-3, 2B, K, 2B, 3 RBI)
9. Charcer Burks, CF: 0-4 (F-7, F-8, P-2, K)
CUBS SQUAD "A" PITCHERS:
1. Trevor Clifton: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R (5 ER), 2 BB, 7 K, 1 HR, 1 WP, 2/1 GO/FO, 67 pitches (37 strikes)
2. Corbin Hoffner: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP, 6/1 GO/FO, 28 pitches (20 strikes)
3. David Garner: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP, 1/2 GO/FO, 25 pitches (13 strikes)
4. Alberto Diaz: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 32 pitches (23 strikes)
CUBS SQUAD "A" ERRORS: 2
1. 3B Jesse Hodges - E-5 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)
2. SS Gleyber Torres - E-6 (two-base throwing error allowed batter to reach 2nd base safely)
CUBS SQUAD "A" CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Mark Malave: 1 PB
CUBS SQUAD "A" OUTFIELD ASSISTS:
CF Charcer Burks - baserunner doubled-off 2nd base 8-4 after line out to CF
ATTENDANCE: 16
WEATHER: Sunny & breezy with temperatures in the 90's
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