More Than One High Point for Cubs Today

Jose Guevara bounced a two-run single back through the box past a drawn-in infield, driving-in what proved to be the winning run, as the EXST Cubs scored six runs in the last two innings to blow open a close game and defeat the EXST A’s 7-1 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa this morning.

Jesus Morelli extended his hitting streak to 19 games when he beat-out an 8th inning infield single (a dribbler to 3rd base), and RHP Chris Huseby showed no evidence of wildness, throwing two perfect 1-2-3 innings, striking out three (all swinging).

Cubs Player Personnel Director Oneri Fleita, Minor League Hitting Coordinator Dave Keller, and about a dozen Cub scouts were at Fitch Park today (and have been there for most of the week), working out high school and college players in preparation for next week’s Rule 4 Draft (AKA “First-Year Player Draft”). One of the players who was at Fitch Park showing his wares was invited to play in today’s game, and he made the most of his opportunity.

High Point U. OF Nate Roberts hit lead-off and played CF for six innings, slashing an RBI single to left to put the Cubs on the board in the 3rd, then stealing two bases, before making a two-out over-the-shoulder running catch in deep right-center with his back to the infield to save a run in the 5th.

After graduating from Richmond Burton HS, the Spring Grove, IL native spent his freshman year at Northwestern University, before transferring to Parkland JC. He was selected by the Tampa Rays Rays in last June’s draft but did not sign, instead opting to transfer to High Point University in High Point, NC, where he was named 2010 Big South Conference Player of the Year after hitting 416/573/746 with 19 HR and 69 RBI and 36 SB (3 CS) in just 59 games. With all that on his resume, Baseball America ranked Roberts as just the 28th best draft prospect in the State of North Carolina.

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

LINEUP:
1a. Nate Roberts, CF: 1-3 (6-3, 1B, 6-4-3 GIDP, RBI, 2 SB)
1b. Kyung-Min Na, CF: 0-1 (6-3)
2. Alvaro Ramirez, DH #1: 1-4 (K, F-8, 1-U, 1B, R)
3. Jesus Morelli, RF: 1-4 (K, 4-3, 4-3, 1B, R)
4. Richard Jones, 1B: 2-4 (4-3, F-7, 1B, 2B, RBI, 2 R)
5a. Xavier Batista, DH #2: 1-2 (2B, 6-3)
5b. Wes Darvill, PH-DH: 1-1 (BB, 1B, R)
6a. Sergio Burruel, C: 1-1 (BB, 1B)
6b. Jose Guevara, C: 1-2 (1B, K, 2 RBI)
7. Arismendy Alcantara, SS: 0-1 (L-9 DP, 1-3 SH, BB, BB)
8. Pin-Chieh Chen, 2B: 0-3 (1-3, 4-2 FC, 4-6 FC, BB, RBI, SB)
9. George Matheus, 3B: 0-2 (BB, F-9, P-4, R)
10. Runey Davis, LF: 0-0 (2-U SH, BB, BB, R)

PITCHERS:
1. Chris Huseby – 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 23 pitches (16 strikes)
2. Tarlandus Mitchell – 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, 6/1 GO/FO, 52 pitches (38 strikes)
3. Carlos Rojas – 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 3/0 GO/FO, 22 pitches (17 strikes)
4. Hector Mayora - 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 19 pitches (12 strikes)
5. Alvaro Sosa - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 25 strikes (14 strikes)

ERRORS: 3
1. 3B George Matheus – E5 (dropped line drive allowed batter to reach base safely – did not score)
2. 3B George Matheus - E5 (two-base overthrow error at 1st base allowed batter to reach 2nd base – did not score)
3. SS Arismendy Alcantara - E6 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely - did not score)

OUTFIELD ASSIST
CF Kyung-Min Na threw out runner 8-6-2 trying to score from 1st base on double to CF

ATTENDANCE: 12

WEATHER: Sunny and hot, with temperatures in the 90’s

The Cubs had a Camp Day yesterday, spending several hours taking BP, fielding practice, baserunning drills, PFP, and pick-off drills, before playing a nine-inning intrasquad game. The game was even more informal than the typical Cactus League Extended Spring Training game so it would be futile to try and make a box score out of it, but I can tell you that RHP (ex-SS & ex-LF) Dylan Johnston (2009 TJS rehab) got into his first game action of 2010, allowing two runs on three hits (two doubles and a triple) and a HBP in 1.1 IP, RHP Juan Yasser Serrano was extended to four innings, allowing four runs—but only one earned—on four hits, while retiring the last ten men he faced, and George Matheus had the big blow on offense, a bases-loaded triple off Serrano after a costly two-out error by 2nd baseman Arismendy Alcantara loaded the bases. In addition to Johnston and Serrano getting work, Austin Kirk threw four innings, Tzu-An Wang and Alvido Jimenez threw two innings a piece, and Danny Keefe, Andres Quezada, Jesse Ginley, and Jadel Mendez threw one inning each.