Cliff Andersen slammed a three-run homer and
Brandon Guyer drove in three runs with two-out RBI singles in the first and third innings, as the Cubs Arizona Instructional League team drubbed the Oakland A's AZ Instructional League team 8-2 this afternoon at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa.
The Cubs got off to a quick lead, and never looked back.
Leon Johnson led-off the bottom of the first, dropping a perfectly-placed bunt down the third base line for a single. He then stole 2nd and advanced to third on a ground out, before Guyer came through with his two-out RBI single, a hard-hit grounder between second and third. (BTW, for those of you who have not seen him play,
Brandon Guyer is a
Matt Murton clone... they must have been separated at birth).
The Cubs put the game away in the bottom of the 3rd, and they did it the hard way, too.
With two outs and nobody on base,
Ty Wright singled, and advanced to third on a line double down the right-field line by
Tyler Colvin. (Last year's #1 draft pick, Colvin just arrived at Fitch Park last Thursday, having been working out with Team USA in preparation for its one-week "tour" through the Arizona Fall League at the end of this month, and then the World Cup in Taiwan in November). Guyer followed with a two-run single, and after
Marquez Smith drew a walk, Andersen clobbered his moonshot far over the 15-foot high fence in RF.
The Cubs added another run in the bottom of the 4th, as
Gian Guzman reached base on a HBP to lead off the inning, followed by a line single to RF by
Drew Rundle that chased Gooz to third. After Johnson popped-up to short, Wright grounded out to second, scoring Guzman.
The Cubs finished their scoring in the 6th, as
Jovan Rosa singled to lead-off the inning, advanced to second on a balk, and scored on an RBI single by Guzman.
Meanwhile, the Cubs pitchers were shutting down the A's.
LHP
Chris Siegfried got the start, and went three innings (47 pitches), allowing one run on three hits and two walks. Siggy was able to escape further damage by keeping the ball on the ground (7/1 GB/FB), including a nifty 4-6-3 DP started by second-baseman
Marquez Smith to end the first inning.
Smith was drafted as a power-hitting third-baseman out of Clemson, but with the organizational logjam at 3B (
Aramis Ramirez,
Kyle Reynolds,
Josh Lansford,
Jovan Rosa, and
Josh Vitters), he has been playing mostly 2B in Instructs, and he has done a fine job there, too.
RHP
Yuri Higgins worked the 4th and 5th innings, and although he tends to overthrow and will sometimes abruptly change his arm slot in the middle of an AB, he was effective, throwing two shutout innings. The final out in the top of the 5th was an outstanding diving stop and laser throw to 1st base by third-baseman Rosa.
18-year RHP
Dae-Eun Rhee (signed by Cubs Pacific Rim Scouting Cooridinator Steve Wilson out of Korea this past July) made his second Instructs appearance in four days, throwing another 1-2-3 inning (4-3, F-9, 3-U) on just nine pitches, and wowing the scouts with his outstanding control and off-the-table splitter mixed with a 90 MPH two-seamer with movement. Once again, Rhee's parents (who accompanied their son to the U. S. from South Korea) got video from all angles, and were (needless to say) extremely proud of their son's performance today.
24-year old Colombian RHP
Dumas Garcia (signed by the Cubs last month out of the independent South Coast League) had another impressive outing, getting the A's 1-2-3 (K-swinging, 6-3, K-swinging) on just 13 pitches in the 7th. Garcia has an odd habit of cocking his head to one side when he throws, and what he throws is a 94 MPH fastball mixed with a killer change.
OF
Kyler Burke (acquired from SD in the Michael Barrett deal) has left the Cubs AZ Instructional League team in Mesa and will be reporting to the Honolulu Sharks of the
Hawaii Winter Baseball (HWB) league, replacing OF
Ryan Harvey, who sustained a season-ending injury. INF
Nathan Samson is the other Cubs minor leaguer hangin' loose in Hawaii this Fall.
The
Arizona Fall League (AFL) begins play tomorrow in the Valley of the Sun, and the Mesa Solar Sox (CUBS, BOS, HOU, MIL, and STL) will open the 2007 AFL season at Phoenix Muni Stadium versus the Desert Dogs (BAL, CHW, MIN, OAK, and PIT). Cubs players assigned to the Solar Sox are RHPs
Matt Avery,
Justin Berg,
Sean Gallagher (replacing injured RHP
Grant Johnson), and
Rocky Roquet, SS
Joe Simokaitis, 3B
Josh Lansford, and OF
Sam Fuld.The AFL is considered a fast track to the big leagues.
Here is today abridged box score (Cubs players only):
LINEUP:
1.
Leon Johnson, CF (2-5, R, K, SB)
2.
Ty Wright, DH #1 (1-4, R, RBI, K)
3.
Tyler Colvin, DH #2 (1-4, R, 2B, K)
4.
Brandon Guyer, LF (2-4, R, 3 RBI, K, SB)
5.
Marquez Smith, 2B (1-3, R, 2B, BB, HBP)
6.
Cliff Andersen, RF (1-4, R, 3 RBI, 3-RUN HR, 2 K)
7.
Jovan Rosa, 3B (2-4, R, 2B)
8A.
Mark Reed, C (0-2, K, SB)
8B.
Josh Donaldson, C (0-2)
9.
Gian Guzman, SS (1-2, R, RBI, BB, HBP)
10.
Drew Rundle, 1B (1-3, BB, K)
PITCHING:
1.
Chris Siegfried - 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, (47 pitches -7/1 GB/FB)
2.
Yuri Higgins - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (23 pitches - 1/3 GB/FB)
3.
Dae-Eun Rhee - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (9 pitches)
4.
Dumas Garcia - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (13 pitches)
5.
Stephen Vento - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 WP (17 pitches)
6.
Jordan Latham - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K (15 pitches)
ATTENDANCE: 9
Comments