Windy City Classic 101
It's not only important for young Cubs players to learn the finer points of pitching, fielding, hitting, and base-running, it's also important for them to learn "Why We Fight" and which teams need to be targeted in a special way for defeat. So in what is the Arizona Instructional League version of the Windy City Classic, the Cubs defeated the White Sox 6-4 this morning at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa.
Donald Veal got the start for the Cubs, and the lefty breezed through the first inning, getting three ground outs (6-3, 4-3, and 5-3) on just seven pitches. Veal had a more-difficult second inning, though, as the White Sox loaded the bases with two outs on two singles and a walk, but Veal was able to sneak a called third strike past the last hitter to end the threat.
The Cubs took the lead in the bottom of the 3rd, when with two outs and nobody on base, Bryan Jost and Gian Guzman singled. Jost then scored on a throwing error after Ty Wright hit what should have been a routine easy inning-ending ground out to second.
After the Sox tied the score 1-1 in the top of the 4th, the Cubs came back and scored two in the bottom of the frame on a two-out RBI single by Cliff Andersen and an RBI double by Carlos Perez. Leon Johnson followed Perez's double with a line single to CF, but Perez was thrown out at the plate.
The White Sox slammed two doubles and a single off Marcos Mateo in the top of the 6th, but thanks to a very convenient 6-3 DP in the middle of the mess, the Sox wound up scoring only one run, and the Cubs survived the inning with a 3-2 lead.
The Cubs made it 4-2 in the bottom of the 6th, when Cliff Andersen came through with another two-out RBI single, following base hits by Josh Donaldson and Josh Vitters.
The Cubs aded two more runs in the bottom of the 8th on back-to-back doubles by Ty Wright and Marwin Gonzalez, a walk to Donaldson, a wild pitch, and an RBI ground out by Marquez Smith.
The White Sox were able to score two runs in the top of the 9th off Dumas Garcia on two singles, two wild pitches, and a passed ball, but Garcia retired the final three Sox batters F-9, 1-3, and K (looking) to seal the victory.
Here is today's abridged box score (Cubs players only):
LINEUP:
1. Gian Guzman , 2B (1-4, 2 K)
2. Ty Wright , LF (1-4, R, 2B, K)
3. Marwin Gonzalez , SS (2-4, R, RBI, 2B, PO)
4A. Brandon Guyer , DH #1 (0-2, R)
4B. Josh Donaldson , DH #1 (1-1, R, BB)
5. Marquez Smith , DH #2 (0-4, RBI, 2 K)
6. Josh Vitters , 3B (2-4, 2B)
7. Cliff Andersen , RF (2-3, R, 2 RBI, BB, K)
8A. Carlos Perez , C (1-2, RBI, 2B)
8B. Mark Reed , C (0-2)
9. Leon Johnson , CF (1-3, 2 K)
10. Bryan Jost , 1B (1-3, R, K)
PITCHING:
1. Donnie Veal - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 3/0 GB/FB (25 pitches)
2. Hernan Ramos - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 2/3 GB/FB (27 pitches)
3. Mark Pawelek - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 2/1 GB/FB (8 pitches)
4. Marcos Mateo - 2.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 GIDP, 3/1 GB/FB (33 pitches)
5. Casey Lambert - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GB/FB (8 pitches)
5. Dumas Garcia - 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 2 WP, 1/1 GB/FB (14 pitches)
NO ERRORS BY CUBS, BUT THERE WERE THREE ERRORS BY THE WHITE SOX
CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Mark Reed - PB (led to unearned run in 9th)
ATTENDANCE: 10
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