Jesus Morelli

Jesus Morelli extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a 1st inning RBI double, leading one squad of Cubs to a 5-3 victory over the Giants on Field #3, while the other squad of Giants defeated the other squad of Cubs 6-2 on Field #2, as the EXST Cubs and EXST Giants played a Memorial Day Cactus League Extended Spring training split squad doubleheader at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ. Both games were stopped after eight innings.

Making his first appearance on the mound since throwing 16 consecutive balls (no strikes) and walking all four batters he faced in a game versus the EXST Angels at Diablo Park on April 28th, RHP Chris Huseby appeared to be headed down a similar path today, throwing seven of his first eight pitches for balls, before allowing a two-run RBI triple. However, he then suddenly seemed to turn a corner, and proceeded to strike out the side on just 10 pitches (all strikes), stranding the runner at 3rd. Then after completing his one inning of work, Huseby remained in the game as a DH, grounding out 6-3 in the 3rd and reaching base on a HBP (glancing blow off his helmet) in the 5th, before heading for the clubhouse.

Carlos Romero bounced a game-tying RBI single to right, Alvaro Ramirez lined an RBI single down the RF line, and Pin-Chieh Chen knocked-in two insurance runs with a two-run single, as the EXST Cubs rallied to score four runs in the bottom of the 8th to defeat the EXST Brewers 5-2 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action at Fitch Park Field #3 this morning in Mesa. The game was pre-planned as a ten-inning contest, so that more Brewer and Cub pitchers could get game work.

Besides the four-run rally in the 8th, other EXST Cubs highlights today included Tarlandus Mitchell and Austin Kirk combining to fan ten Brewers in just 5-1/3 innings, and Jesus Morelli extending his hit streak to 15 games with a 1st inning single. (Morelli is now hitting 382/447/574 in 21 EXST games since being moved down to Extended Spring Training from Peoria).

Runey Davis drove-in four runs with a bases-loaded triple and an RBI single, Sergio Burruel knocked-in two more with a two-run single, and Jesus Morelli extended his hitting streak to 14 games with an RBI double, leading the EXST Cubs to an 8-4 victory over the EXST Angels in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action at Fitch Park Field #2 this morning in Mesa.

The EXST Cubs and EXST Giants played a Cactus League Extended Spring Training split-squad doubleheader at Indian School Park in Scottsdale this morning, with the Giants rallying with two runs in the bottom of the 7th to take the game played on Field #3 by a score of 4-2, while the other squads of Cubs and Giants played to a 4-4 tie on Field #4 as the Giants scored the tying run in the bottom of the 8th. (The game on Field #4 was stopped after eight innings).

Jesus Morelli drilled a two-run single to right with two outs in the top of the 9th to plate the tying run, and Brandon Guyer followed with an RBI double off the CF fence to drive in Morelli with what turned out to be the game-winning run, as the EXST Cubs rallied for four runs in the 9th to edge the EXST Angels 6-5 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action at Diablo Park Field #3 at the Tempe Buttes this morning.

Jae-Hoon Ha went 4-4 with two triples, a double, and a single, scored three runs, and drove-in two more, Jesus Morelli reached base four times on a single, a double, a triple, and a walk, scored twice, and knocked-in three, and George Matheus had two singles, a double, and two RBI, but it was left to Wes Darvill to drive-in the winning run as the youngster bounced a single through a drawn-in infield with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 7th, rallying one squad of Cubs to an 8-7 victory over one squad of the Giants on Field #3, while over on Field #2, Alvaro Ramirez doubled and tripled, drove-in one run, and scored another, Chris Huseby doubled, walked and scored a run, and Pin-Chieh Chen had two hits, a run scored, and an RBI, but the other squad of Giants clubbed five triples, a double, and a home run, and took advantage of two costly Rafael Disla errors to score four unearned runs, en route to an 8-4 victory over the other squad of Cubs, as the EXST Cubs and EXST Giants split a Cactus League Extended Spring Training split-squad doubleheader this morning at Fitch Park in Mesa.

21-year old RHP Juan Yasser Serrano made his debut with the Cubs on Field #3, tossing a 13-pitch, ten strike, 1-2-3 inning (4-3, 4-3, and 5-3). Serrano is the Cuban Defector who was signed by the Cubs for a reported $250K bonus this past March, and he appears to be a polished hurler who should advance quickly through the system. I would think he will probably get assigned initially to Daytona (fellow Cuban Defector OF Smaily Borges is already there), once he has gets his arm strength up to where it needs to be. Serrano is not a big guy (maybe 6’1), and he has a solid (almost stocky) build.  

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.

RF Jesus Morelli threw a strike to catcher Matt Cerda with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, nipping the potential tying run at the plate and preserving the victory, as the EXST Cubs edged the EXST A's 4-3 in Extended Spring Training action at Papago Park Field #2 in Phoenix this morning.