Giant Bats Quiet Cubs at Fitch Park

Tommy Joseph cracked a two-run home run to lead the Giants to a 12-1 drubbing of the Cubs in AZ Instructional League action at Fitch Park Field #1 in Mesa this afternoon. (Field #3 remains unplayable in the aftermath of the torrential rain and flash flood that hit Mesa Tuesday afternoon).

18-year old Korean bonus baby Jin-Yeong Kim got the start for the Cubs today, and was “lights out” through the first two innings, retiring the side in order in both innings, and striking out the side in the 2nd. But the youngster hit a wall in the top of the 3rd, walking the lead-off hitter on four pitches before allowing two singles and a double that ended his day. Kim also suffered some type of right leg injury while backing up 3rd base just before he was relieved, and was last seen limping to the Cubs bench before getting a ride to the clubhouse on a golf cart. Whether it was a groin, quad, knee, or ankle, I don’t know, but I have a feeling we have seen the last of Kim until next March.

2B Logan Watkins had to leave the game after colliding with RF Xavier Batista while going after a pop fly in short right in the top of the 5th. Watkins initially remained in the game and he did take his AB in the bottom of the inning, but then he was sent to the clubhouse for further evaluation. Hopefully he did not sustain a concussion, but it was a fairly violent collision (X. Batista is a big dude), and Watkins did lay motionless for a few seconds afterward.

Because Marco Hernandez and Gioskar Amaya had morning workouts and were not dressed for the game, and with Pin-Chieh Chen out with a rib injury and Wes Darvill having been sent home, 3B Willson Contreras was moved over to 2B for the final four innings. A converted catcher, Contreras had not previously played 2B in his pro career, but he handled his only two chances flawlessly.

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

LINEUP:
1a. Evan Crawford, RF: 2-3 (1B, 5-3, 3B, R)
1b. Engel Santana, C: 0-1 (4-3)
2. Hak-Ju Lee, SS: 1-2 (BB, 1B, 4-3, RBI, SB)
3. Sergio Burruel, C-DH: 0-1 (4-6-3 GIDP, BB, BB)
4. Justin Bour, 1B: 0-3 (F-7, 6-4-3 GIDP, 6-4-3 GIDP)
5. Xavier Batista, DH-RF: 0-3 (F-9, K, P-3)
6a. Logan Watkins, 2B: 0-2 (4-3, 4-3)
6b. Dustin Geiger, 3B: 0-1 (F-9)
7. Micah Gibbs, DH #2: 0-3 (4-3, 3-U, K)
8. Reggie Golden, CF: 1-3 (P-4, 1B, K, CS)
9. Chris Huseby, LF: 0-3 (K, F-9, K)
10a. Willson Contreras, 3B-2B: 0-2 (6-3, L-7)
10b. SLOT WAS SKIPPED 3rd TIME THRU ORDER

PITCHERS:
1. Jin-Yeong Kim: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 4 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 37 pitches (27 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO
2. Jhon Rodriguez: 2.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 2 HBP, 1 WP, 1 GIDP, 46 pitches (30 strikes), 6/1 GO/FO
3. Tarlandus Mitchell: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1 BALK, 43 pitches (23 strikes), 5/0 GO/FO
4. Ryan Hartman: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 11 pitches (8 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO
5. Amaury Paulino: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1 GIDP, 21 pitches (14 strikes), 2/0 GO/FO

ERRORS: (1)
2B Logan Watkins E-4 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base and unearned run to score from 2nd base)

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ATTENDANCE: 16 (mostly scouts)

WEATHER: Sunny and a bit breezy with temperatures in the 80’s