Candy Triple Not So Sweet for Angels
Jeimer Candelario belted a two-out game-tying bases-loaded three-run triple off the RF fence and Rafael Lopez followed with an RBI double into the RF corner to drive-in the go-ahead run, as the Cubs rallied for four runs in the bottom of the 6th en route to a 5-4 victory over the Angels in Arizona Instructional League action this morning at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa.
David Bote drove-in the Cubs first run of the game in the 5th with a two-out RBI double into the LF corner.
Making his first game appearance since throwing two innings for Peoria at Kane County on September 3rd, RHP Ben Wells got the start for the Cubs today and tossed two shutout innings with four strikeouts, allowing one harmless single.
RHP Jose Arias relieved Wells and hurled 2.2 IP of no-hit ball with three strikeouts, and after the Cubs took a 5-4 lead in the 6th, LHP Nathan Dorris threw three shutout innings of one-hit ball with four strikeouts to record his second three-inning save this week (and third save in five games).
Kaleb Cowart (Angels 2010 1st round draft pick - 18th overall pick) provided most of the offense for the Angels in today's game, with a two-run double, a single, and a walk, in three PA. Cowart is playing temporarily with the Angels Instructs squad while preparing for the Arizona Fall League (AFL), where he will be a member of the Scottsdale Scorpions. The AFL begins play on Tuesday.
Several Cubs executives were at the game today, including Assistant GM Randy Bush and Scouting & Player Development Director Jason McLeod.
Here is the abridged box score from today’s game (Cubs players only)
CUBS LINEUP:
1a. Tim Saunders, SS: 1-2 (2B, K, PO)
1b. Marco Hernandez, SS: 0-2 (3-U, 1-3)
2. Albert Almora, CF: 1-4 (1B, 5-3, E-6, K, R, SB)
3a. Jorge Soler, RF: 0-1 (F-8, HBP)
3b. Yasiel Balaguert, RF: 0-1 (K, BB)
4a. Dan Vogelbach, 1B: 0-2 (K, F-7)
4b. Jacob Rogers, 1B: 1-2 (1B, 6-3, R)
5a. Wilson Contreras, C: 0-1 (BB, 5-4 FC)
5b. Lance Rymel, C: 0-1 (BB, 5-3, R)
6a. Ben Carhart, 3B: 0-2 (E-7, 6-3)
6b. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 1-2 (3B, K, R, 3 RBI)
7. Rafael Lopez, DH #1: 1-3 (K, L-6, 2B, RBI)
8. Chadd Krist, DH #2: 1-3 (K, 1B, K, R)
9. David Bote, 2B: 1-3 (6-3, 2B, K, RBI)
10a. Trevor Gretzky, LF: 0-2 (K, K)
10b. Bijan Rademacher, LF: 0-0 (HBP)
CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Ben Wells: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 21 pitches (15 strikes), 2/0 GO/FO
2. Jose Arias: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 40 pitches (29 strikes), 3/2 GO/FO
3. Steve Perakslis: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 1 PO, 40 pitches (25 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO
4. Nathan Dorris: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 40 pitches (27 strikes), 3/1 GO/FO
CUBS ERRORS: 4
1. C Wilson Contreras - E-2 (throwing error after dropped third strike allowed batter to reach base safely - eventually scored unearned run)
2. SS Marco Hernandez - E-6 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely - eventually scored unearned run)
3. P Steve Perakslis - E-1 (throwing error at 3rd base on SH-FC allowed runner to score)
4. SS Marco Hernandez - E-6 (throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely)
CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
1. Wilson Contreras: 1 E (see above)
2. Lance Rymel: 0-1 CS, 1 PO
CUBS OUTFIELD ASSISTS:
RF Jorge Soler - threw out runner 9-2 trying to score from 2nd base on single to RF
WEATHER: Sunny and hot with temperatures in the 90’s
ATTENDANCE: 17 (including Carrie Muskat)






m.garza debuts tuesday vs pitt
vanillawafers (with recently shaved mustache) to the pen
Ugh
they have an entire section of the bleachers today...kinda creepy.
Mets fans are louder than Cubs fans. A new low point.
Brett Jackson...
"Some of the best advice I've gotten is, I was sitting with Ian Stewart, talking about hitting and I was feeling for my swing as you do early in the season," Jackson recalled. "He asked if I was comfortable at the plate and I said I'm not very comfortable right now. He's like, 'You need to be yourself at the plate and be comfortable and be the type of hitter [you] want to be.'"
http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130518&...
Geiger-Soler put on a fireworks show in yesterday's Daytona Cubs doubleheader...
http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130518&...
Soler...
Interesting tweet in the tweet box: z'Remember when Rizzo was striking out a lot? No K's in last 31 AB's..tied for 2nd longest active streak in majors"
Don't know if that includes last night, but it sure goes a long way to explaining his improved hitting. It's a curious thing, though, the difference between the way his season started and now. How does that happen?
A short doc on a long ago MLB legend
Semi NSFW
http://www.roopstigo.com/reel/morganna-a-kissing-b...
This awesome
http://mlb.mlb.com/photos/gallery.jsp?content_id=4...
Baseball America Hot Sheet:
Christian Villaneuva, 3b, Cubs
Team: Double-A Tennessee (Southern)
Age: 21
Why He’s Here: .435/.500/.739 (10-for-23), 3 R, 4 2B, 1 HR, 4 RBIs, 1 BB, 6 SO, 1-for-2 SB
wow...Arizona Phil's universe intersects with Wrong-way Phil Rogers!
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/14/Pete...
per Roto...
Remember Albert Almora? The Cubs’ first-round pick last June is almost all the way back after breaking his hamate bone in mid-March. He’s been playing center field and hitting in extended spring games in Arizona and should soon be assigned to the low-A Kane County Cougars. There’s no sign yet of Junior Lake, who suffered a stress fracture to the top rib on his right side in mid-March. Outfielder Reggie Golden, a second-round pick in 2010 recovering from two torn ligaments in his left knee, appears close to completing his recovery.
USA Today Article on Mark Appel.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2013/...
Scouting report
http://orioles-nation.com/2011/07/28/scouting-the-...
#2 Mark Appel
"Analysis: This is Appel or Gray, assuming one of them goes first, with Appel the preference. The Cubs are in the catbird seat in this draft -- they don't have to pay the premium that comes with picking first overall but are guaranteed to get one of the two huge arms in the class."
http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9277478/...
Why would you want the threading on the balls to be different?