Heath Bars Cubs from Victory at Riverview

Nick Heath belted a HR on the first pitch of the game, led-off the inning with a triple and scored in the 4th, and walked, stole 2nd base, and scored what proved to be the game-winning run in the 8th, Junior Franco smacked a two-run triple in the 6th, Ben DeLuzio laced the two-out 8th inning RBI triple that drove-in Heath with the deciding run,.and SP Jean Marcelino hurled 2.2 IP of one-hit ball, helping the Diamondbacks edge the Cubs 6-5 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Thursday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.   

The game was called after eight innings of play. 

Heath is on the AAA Reno 7-day IL and is on a rehab assignment at EXST. 

Felix Stevens blasted a game-tying three-run HR over the scoreboard in left-centerfield in the 7th, and SP Tyler Schlaffer tossed four innings of two-hit ball for the Cubs in a losing cause. (The two hits surrendered by Schlaffer were the Nick Heath HR in the top of the 1st and the Nick Heath lead-off triple in the top of the 4th). The Stevens HR was his second dinger in four EXST games, and both were moon shots.  

In 13 PA over the course of the Cubs first four EXST games, Owen Caissie has reached base ten times (four doubles, three singles, and three walks), and there was nothing cheap-o about any of the hits, either.   

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only): 

CUBS LINEUP:
1a. Yeison Santana, SS: 0-2 (4-3, BB, K)
1b. Oswaldo Pina, SS: 0-2 (K, 6-3)
2a. Reggie Preciado, 3B: 0-1 (BB, 5-4-3 DP, R) 
2b. Shendrik Apostel, PH-3B: 0-0 (BB, BB, 2 R) 
3a. Alfonso Rivas, 1B-DH: 0-0 (BB, BB) 
3b. Wally Soto, PH-DH: 1-2 (K, 2B, R)
4a. Owen Caissie, RF: 1-1 (BB, 1B) 
4b. Felix Stevens, PH-RF: 1-2 (E-7, HR, R, 3 RBI) 
5a. Rafael Morel, 2B: 0-0 (HBP, BB, RBI, PO) 
5b. Juan Mora, PH-2B: 0-1 (BB, F-9)
6. Matt Warkentin, DH-1B: 0-4 (K, K, L-7, 5-3)
7a. Ismael Mena, CF: 0-2 (3-U, K) 
7b. Jose O. Lopez, CF: 0-2 (F-9, 4-3)
8a. Yovanny Cuevas, LF: 0-2 (6-3, K) 
8b. Rafael Herrera, LF: 1-2 (1B, F-8)
9a. Malcom Quintero, C: 0-2 (K, P-2) 
9b. Miguel Fabrizio, C: 0-2 (3-6 FC, 4-3) 

CUBS PITCHERS: 
1. Tyler Schlaffer: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 3/4 GO/AO,  51 pitches (34 strikes) 
2. Gregori Montano: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 0/2 GO/AO, 15 pitches (9 strikes)
3. Angel Gonzalez-Martinez: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 1 BALK, 2/0 GO/AO, 27 pitches (13 strikes)
4. Alberto Sojo: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 2/2 GO/AO, 24 pitches (15 strikes) 

CUBS ERRORS: 2 
1. 1B Matt Warkentin - E-3 (fielding error allowed batter to reach 2nd base safely) 
2. 3B Shendrik Apostel - E-5 (errant to throw to 2nd base on attempted 5-4 FC allowed runner to advance to 3rd)

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Miguel Fabrizio: 1-2 CS 

ATTENDANCE: N/A 

WEATHER: Partly cloudy and breezy with temperatures 115+ 

Arizona 
Scoring 
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