Vimael Machin

Vimael Machin ripped an RBI double, singled, and stole a base, Jhonny Pereda singled twice and drove-in a run, and Keegan Thompson and three relievers combined to toss a two-hit shutout, in Cubs Minor League Camp intrasquad game action Monday afternoon on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex on John Arguello Way in Mesa, AZ. 

It was a rare day off for the MLB squad (one of only two this spring), so there was no activity on the other side of the UAPC. 

Here is the box score from the game: 

Jhonny Rodriguez (RBI single), Eric Marinez (two-run double), Jesus Lage (two-run double), Steven Pallares (RBI double), Carlos Hiciano (RBI single), Javier Godard (RBI triple), and Luis Barrera (RBI single) contributed run-scoring hits to highlight an 18-hit attack, helping the Athletics bash the Cubs 11-3 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.

Kevonte Mitchell belted a two-run home run and Vimael Machin drilled an RBI triple to highlight a three-run first inning for the Cubs, but that was all the scoring the Cubs could muster. 

RHSP Aaron Brooks (On Cubs MLB 15-day DL since Spring Training with a hip contusion) continued his EXST rehab, starting the game and working 2.2 IP (54 pitches). He allowed three runs on six hits (four singles, two doubles, and a triple), did not issue any walks, and struck out three (all three swinging) with a 2/2 GO/AO. 

The game was called by mutual consent after eight innings of play. 

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

Javier Godard doubled, singled twice, scored twice, and drove-in the winning run with a squeeze bunt, as the Athletics rallied for three runs in the bottom of the 8th and hung-on to edge the Cubs 6-5 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ. 

The Cub cause was aided by Vimael Machin (drilled two singles and a triple, scored a run, and knocked-in another), Rafael Mejia (belted an RBI double, singled, walked, and stole a base), and Michael Foster (singled twice, walked, stole a base, scored a run, drove-in a run, and threw out an A's hitter 7-4 trying to stretch a single into a double), but the bullpen could not hold the lead for the second day in a row. 

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

Dylan Cease fired three innings of shutout ball, Vimael Machin lined a triple off the CF Batter's Eye and scored and Alex Bautista rifled an RBI double into the LF corner to highlight a two-run 7th, and then Bautista ripped an RBI single through the box into CF and Yohan Matos followed with an RBI triple high off the LF screen (near HR) to spark a two-run 9th, as the Cubs plated five runs over the final three innings and defeated the Brewers 6-1 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning on Field #7 (AKA "Paul Molitor Field") at the Maryvale Baseball Park Complex in Phoenix, AZ.  

Cease threw a higher percentage of strikes (62%) today than in any previous outing (he usually struggles to throw strikes, typically throwing 50-55% strikes), breaking his curve for called strikes time & again, and humming his heater consistently knee-high at 98-99 MPH (per both the Brewers & Cubs guns -- for example, 99-99-99-98-99-99-98-98-99-99-99 in the bottom of the 2nd). He even got a swing & miss on a change-up (the pitch that is his "work-in-progress").

Cease allowed four hits (three singles and a double) over his three-inning stint, but three of the hits were opposite-field grounders, and the fourth was a broken-bat humpback liner looped over the shortstop's head and into short left. 

Cease was so dominating that one of the Brewer pitchers seated behind home plate asked "Is that Arrieta?" as Cease dropped his knee-bending hook to get ahead 0-2 and then blew unhittable gas past the last two Brew Crew hitters for strike-three in the bottom of the 2nd (stranding runners at 2nd & 3rd). It's unusual when the other team's pitchers are mesmerized by an EXST opponent who isn't a major league rehabber.  

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

Kwang-Min Kwon drilled an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th to plate Tyler Pearson with the winning run, lifting the Cubs to a 7-6 victory over the Rockies in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action Saturday morning at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.