Cubs Youngsters Face Freddy Sanchez Again at Extended Spring Training

Pin-Chieh Chen had two hits and scored a run, Rafael Disla reached base twice and scored two runs, and Sergio Burruel drove-in two runs with a sacrifice fly and a double, but it wasn’t anywhere near enough offense as one squad of EXST Giants defeated one squad of EXST Cubs 6-3 on Field #1, while over on Field #2, the other squad of EXST Cubs managed only one run on two hits against the other squad of EXST Giants in a game that finished in a 1-1 tie, in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training split-squad doubleheader played at Indian School Park in Scottsdale this morning. Both games were stopped after seven innings, and the games were played simultaneously.

San Francisco Giants 2B Freddy Sanchez (knee and shoulder surgeries) continued his minor league rehab assignment with the EXST Giants, playing 2B and batting in five of the seven innings in the game on Field #2. Peoria RHP Marcus Hatley, getting into his first game action since undergoing Tommy John Surgery last September, struck out Sanchez (swinging) on a 2-2 pitch with runners on 1st and 3rd and no outs in the bottom of the 1st. Sanchez then ripped a single off LHP John Mincone with one out in the bottom of the 2nd (but was erased on an inning-ending 5-4-3 DP) and reached base again against Mincone on an E-4 (should have been a 4-6-3 DP) in the bottom of the 4th. Sanchez struck out (swinging) against RHP Jadel Mendez with one out and the bases empty in the bottom of the 6th, and grounded out 6-3 in his final AB against RHP Yohan Gonzalez with one out and nobody on base in the bottom of the 7th. So for the day, Sanchez went 1-5, with a single and two strikeouts.

Iowa Cubs 1B-OF Jason Dubois (placed on the I-Cubs 7-day DL with back spasms a couple of weeks ago) got a rehab start (as a DH) with the Cubs squad on Field #2, batting 3rd in both the top of the 1st and top of the 2nd. He struck out swinging in the 1st, and grounded out to shortstop (RBI) in the top of the 2nd. He then left the game and returned to Fitch Park. I don’t know if the plan was for him to get only two ABs and then go back to Mesa (which would be unusual), or if he maybe was pulled from the game because he did not feel he could continue. But his swing did look a bit stiff in the early-morning pre-game BP session at Fitch Park before the team traveled to Scottsdale.

FIELD #1:

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

PITCHERS:
1. Hector Mayora – 0.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 18 pitches (8 strikes)
2. Luis Liria – 2.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 2 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 48 pitches (25 strikes)
3. Jose Rosario – 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 BALK, 1 PO, 4/2 GO/FO, 37 pitches (25 strikes)
4. Rogelio Carmona - 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 22 pitches (17 strikes)

ERRORS: (3)
1. 2B Arismendy Alcantara E-4 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base – eventually scored unearned run)
2. 2B Arismendy Alcantara E-4 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base – did not score)
3. P Luis Liria E-1 (errant pick-off throw at 1st base allowed runner to advance to 2nd base)

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Sergio Burruel: 1-3 CS, 1 PB, 1 PO (at 1st base)

FIELD #2

NOTE: DH Jason Dubois batted 3rd in both the 1st and 2nd innings, and then left the game

LINEUP:
X. Jason Dubois, DH #1: 0-2 (K, 6-3, RBI)
1. Runey Davis, CF: 0-3 (F-9, 3-U, K)
2. Jae-Hoon Ha, DH #2: 0-2 (F-9, BB, F-8)
3a. Jesus Morelli, RF: 1-1 (BB, 2B, R)
3b. SLOT WAS SKIPPED IN TOP OF THE 6th ALTHOUGH MORELLI REMAINED IN RF
4a. Brandon May, 3B: 0-1 (L-4, HBP)
4b. Carlos Romero, PR-1B: 0-1 (K)
5. Bobby Wagner, 1B-3B: 0-3 (K, K, K)
6. Vismeldy Bieneme, 2B: 1-3 (1B, K, K)
7. Luis Flores: 0-2 (BB, F-9, F-7)
8. Wes Darvill, SS: 0-3 (P-4, E-5, 5-3)
9. Cody Shields, LF: 0-3 (E-6, K, 6-3)

PITCHERS:
1. Marcus Hatley – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/FO, 21 pitches (12 strikes)
2. John Mincone – 3.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 GIDP, 5/2 GO/FO, 42 pitches (29 strikes)
3. Jadel Mendez - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 PO, 23 pitches (15 strikes)
4. Yohan Gonzalez - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1/0 GO/FO, 9 pitches (8 strikes)

ERROR (1):
2B Vismeldy Bieneme E-4 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base and runner at 1st base to advance to 3rd base – eventually resulted in unearned run)

CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Luis Flores: 1 PB

ATTENDANCE: 9

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 70’s