Angels Snatch Tie from Jaws Of Cubs Victory

Pin-Chieh Chen had three hits and drove-in two runs, but the EXST Cubs could not hold a five-run lead in the 9th, as the EXST Angels rallied (BB, 1B, WP, E-4, 2B, P-7, 3B, F-8 SF) to tie the game at 7-7 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training play at Diablo Park Field #3 at the Tempe Buttes this morning. The game was stopped with two outs in the bottom of the 9th after the Angels tied the game on a SF.

The 6’1 lanky 18-year old lefty swinging Chen (signed to a $300K bonus out of Taiwan last June) has been relegated to DH duty for the past couple of weeks at Extended Spring Training due to a sore throwing arm, but his hitting certainly has not been adversely affected. Through the EXST Cubs first 24 games, Chen is hitting 372/426/395, and leads the team in BA (minimum 24 PA) and OBP, and is tied for the team lead in stolen bases and RBI. While Chen almost always bunts at least once in every game (he laid down a beautiful bunt for a hit leading off the game today), he also has good bat speed and can hammer a line-drive when needed. When his arm was healthy, it was strong enough to play SS, but scatter-gun to the extent that the farther the throw, the more off-line (same problem Eric Patterson had as a Cub prospect). As a result, Chen is a better fit at 2B. Offensively, Chen is a lot like Hak-Ju Lee and Logan Watkins, using speed to his advantage on the bases, and capable of playing either “small ball” as a lead-off hitter, or getting the big line-drive to the outfield with men in scoring position (as he did twice today).

Here is today’s abridged box score (EXST Cubs players only):

LINEUP:
1. Pin-Chieh Chen, DH #1: 3-4 (1B, K, 1B, 1B, 2 RBI)
2. Arismendy Alcantara, SS: 1-4 (4-6-3 GIDP, 2B, 4-3, 3-2 FC, R)
3. Brandon May, 1B 1-4 (1-3, K, K, 1B, RBI)
4. Charles Thomas, 3B: 1-4 (4-3, 5-3, F-8, 2B, R)
5a. Luis Flores, C: 1-3 (P-5, 6-3, 3B, R)
5b. Sergio Burruel, C: 0-0 (BB)
6. Albert Hernandez, LF: 2-3 (1B, 1B, L-6, F-8 SF, R, RBI)
7. Alvaro Ramirez, CF: 1-3 (P-6, 5-3 SH, 1B, L-7, RBI)
8. Xavier Batista, RF: 1-4 (2B, P-5, 5-4-3 GIDP, K, R)
9. Blair Springfield, DH-2B: 0-3 (6-3, K, 3-1, RBI)
10. Rafael Disla, 2B-DH: 1-2 (K, 3B, HBP, 2 R, SB)

PITCHERS:
1. Tarlandus Mitchell – 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1/4 GO/FO, 55 pitches (37 strikes)
2. Jose Rosario – 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 GIDP, 4/2 GO/FO, 41 pitches (23 strikes)
3. Drew Rundle – 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K, 1 PO, 1/2 GO/FO, 22 pitches (12 strikes)
4. Rogelio Carmona - 1.1 IP, 3 H, 5 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 0/2 GO/FO, 33 pitches (23 strikes)

ERRORS: (2)
1. 2B Rafael Disla E-4 (throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely – did not score)
2. 2B Blair Springfield E-4 (throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely – eventually scored unearned run)

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Luis Flores: 2-3 CS
Sergio Burruel: 0-1 CS

ATTENDANCE: 1

WEATHER: sunny & cloudless with temperatures in the 80’s