Chiefs & D-Cubs Rally to Tie a Wrap on Minor League Camp

D. J. Fitzgerald singled, doubled, tripled, stole a base, scored one run, and knocked-in two more, and LHP Austin Kirk threw four shutout innings, as the Peoria Chiefs rallied to tie the Cedar Rapids Kernels (Los Angeles Angels Class “A” affiliate) 3-3 on Field #2, while next-door on Field #3 Michael Burgess clubbed a grand slam HR over the RF fence and Evan Crawford doubled, tripled, walked, stole a base, drove-in two runs, and scored another, as the Daytona Cubs rallied from an early 5-0 hole to tie the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels Advanced “A” affiliate) 7-7, in Cactus League Minor League Spring Training action at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ, this morning.

This was the “getaway day” game for both Daytona and Peoria, but since the Iowa Cubs will be remaining in Mesa for another day (they open the season Thursday at Round Rock, TX), I-Cubs catcher Welington Castillo stayed at Fitch Park and served as a DH for Daytona while his teammates traveled to Diablo Park in Tempe to face the Angels Salt Lake Bees AAA affiliate.

After a short intrasquad game on Field #1, several players from the Boise/Mesa (Extended Spring Training) squad (C Yaniel Cabezas, SS Wes Darvill, 3B Dustin Harrington, C Brian Inoa, and LF Blair Springfield) saw some late game action with Daytona in the game on Field #3. (Players from the Boise/Mesa Extended Spring Training group are often used as late inning replacements in Minor League Spring Training games).

Peoria OF Matt Szczur (who has been sidelined more than a week with a leg injury) was able to run the bases in a PFP & baserunning work-out with some of the pitchers from the Boise/Mesa squad on Field #4 prior to the intrasquad game on Field #1. It is unknown if Szczur will be cleared for game action by Opening Day next Thursday, or if he will begin the season on the Peoria 7-day DL and remain at Fitch Park for a few more days.

And OF Smaily Borges has been moved down to Peoria from Tennessee, probably to serve as a “Crash Davis”-type minor league mentor to RHP Juan Yasser Serrano and OF Rubi Silva (all three are Cuban defectors, but the 27-year old Borges is older than the others, and was brought to the U. S. by the Cubs a year earlier). It’s possible that Borges will eventually serve as a player-coach at Peoria (like 1B John Urick is at Daytona), although he is probably needed on the Chiefs active roster right now, at least until Szczur returns to game action.

In addition, RHP Alessandro Maestri and LHP Chris Siegfried have been released (both were with the Tennessee squad). Siegfried was the Cubs 11th round draft pick in 2007 out of the U. of Portland (where he was a teammate of current Iowa RHP Austin Bibens-Dirkx), and Maestri was the first player signed by the Cubs out of the MLB European Academy (in January 2006). Despite getting released by the Cubs, the 25-year old Maestri could be the #1 starting pitcher for Team Italy in next year’s World Baseball Classic (he pitched for Team Italy in both the 2006 and 2009 WBC), presuming there is one.

The DAYTONA CUBS OPENING DAY ROSTER has been established; 

* bats or throws left
# bats both

PITCHERS (13): * Jeffrey Beliveau, * Brent Ebinger, Ty'Relle Harris, Aaron Kurcz, Jordan Latham, * Jeff Lorick, Dae-Eun Rhee, Kevin Roderick, * Zac Rosscup, Ryan Searle, Nick Struck, Brett Wallach, and Rob Whitenack

CATCHERS (2): Michael Brenly and Chad Noble

INFIELDERS (6): * Justin Bour, * Matt Cerda, Junior Lake, # David Macias, * Jake Opitz, and * Logan Watkins,  

OUTFIELDERS (4): * Michael Burgess, Evan Crawford, Jae-Hoon Ha, and * Nelson Perez  

PLAYER-COACH (1): * John Urick (1B signed to a player contract, but is inactive unless needed and normally serves as 1st base coach)

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Here are today’s abridged box scores from Fitch Park (Cubs players only):

FIELD #2 (CLASS “A” – Peoria Chiefs vs Cedar Rapids Kernels)

PEORIA LINEUP:
1. Arismendy Alcantara, SS: 1-4 (P-5, 6-3, 6-3, 1B, R)
2. Rubi Silva, CF: 1-4 (5-3, K, 1-3, 1B)
3. D. J. Fitzgerald, LF: 3-4 (E-5, 3B, 1B, 2B, R, 2 RBI, SB, PO)
4. Richard Jones, 1B: 1-4 (1B, F-7, F-8, K, RBI)
5a. Ryan Cuneo, DH: 0-1 (F-7)
5b. Smaily Borges, PH-DH: 0-3 (F-9, 6-4 FC, K)
6. Anthony Giansanti, 3B: 2-4 (1B+E6, F-8, K, 1B)
7. Xavier Batista, RF: 1-4 (K, L-5, E-5, 1B)
8. Sergio Burruel, C: 0-4 (5-3, K, 6-4-3 DP, 6-4-3 DP)
9. Elliot Soto, 2B: 1-3 (K, K, 1B, R)

PEORIA PITCHERS:
1. Austin Kirk: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 GIDP, 56 pitches (38 strikes), 5/4 GO/FO
2. Eric Jokisch: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 34 pitches (21 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO
3. Bryce Shafer: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 26 pitches (10 strikes), 1/1 GO/FO
4. Juan Yasser Serrano: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 17 pitches (12 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO
5. Marcus Hatley: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 24 pitches (15 strikes)

PEORIA ERRORS: 2
1. CF Rubi Silva E-8 – dropped pop fly in CF allowing batter to reach base safely
2. C Sergio Burruel E-2 - dropped pop up in foul territory prolonging AB

PEORIA CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Sergio Burruel: 1-1 CS, 1 E (see above)

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FIELD #3 (CLASS “ADVANCED-A” – Daytona Cubs vs Inland Empire 66ers)

DAYTONA LINEUP:
1a. Logan Watkins, 2B: 0-1 (K, BB, BB, R)
1b. David Macias, 2B: 1-2 (P-6, 1B, RBI)
2a. Matt Cerda, 3B: 0-3 (F-7, P-6, 4-6-3 DP)
2b. Dustin Harrington, 3B: 1-2 (1B, K)
3. Jae-Hoon Ha, DH #1: 0-4 (K, BB, F-9, 6-4-3 DP, 3-U, R)
4a. Justin Bour, 1B: 0-1 (K, BB, R)
4b. Jake Opitz, 1B: 0-2 (E-3, K, CS)
5. Welington Castillo, DH #2: 0-3 (BB, K, K, F-8)
6a. Michael Burgess, LF: 1-2 (K, HR, R, 4 RBI)
6b. Blair Springfield, LF: 0-2 (3-1, F-9)
7a. Michael Brenly, C: 0-1 (K, BB)
7b. Yaniel Cabezas, C: 1-1 (1B)
7c. Brian Inoa, C: 0-1 (F-7)
8. Nelson Perez, RF: 0-4 (K, K, K,, K+WP, R)
9a. Junior Lake, SS: 0-2 (6-3, 3-U)
9b. Wes Darvill, SS: 0-2 (K, E-6, R)
10. Evan Crawford, CF: 2-3 (6-3, BB, 2B, 3B, R, 2 RBI, SB)

DAYTONA PITCHERS:
1. Aaron Kurcz: 4.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R (5 ER), 1 BB, 5 K, 67 pitches (45 strikes), 2/5 GO/FO
2. Dae-Eun Rhee: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 5 K, 48 pitches (34 strikes), 3/1 GO/FO
3. Jeff Lorick: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 10 pitches (4 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO
4. Jordan Latham: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 14 pitches (9 strikes), 2/0 GO/FO
5. Kevin Rhoderick: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 19 pitches (10 strikes), 2/0 GO/FO

DAYTONA ERRORS: 3:
1. P Aaron Kurcz E-1 – errant pick-off attempt at 2nd base allowed runner at 2nd and runner at 1st to advance a base
2. SS Junior Lake E-6 – fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely – eventually scored unearned run
3. LF Blair Springfield E-7 – errant throw back into infield after single allowed runner who had stopped at 3rd to score and batter-runner to move-up to 2nd base

DAYTONA CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Brian Inoa: 1 PB

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ATTENDANCE: 56

WEATHER: Sunny & breezy with temperatures in the 80’s