Diamondbacks Strike Late to Venomize Cubs
Down 3-0 going into the 6th, the EXST Diamondbacks scored seven unanswered runs over the last four innings and defeated the EXST Cubs 7-3 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa this morning.
RHP Luis Liria got the start for the Cubs and threw three perfect innings (35 pitches), striking out four. RHP Jean Sandoval threw two more shutout innings, allowing a triple and a walk, before the roof caved-in on RHP Jose Rosario in the top of the 7th, when the D’backs rallied to score four runs and take the lead.
The Cubs had earlier scored once in the bottom of the 1st inning and twice in the bottom of the 5th to take a 3-0 lead. Vismeldy Bieneme sliced a triple into the left-center gap with one out in the 1st and scored on an RBI GO, and Reggie Golden drove-in Wilson Contreras (who had walked) with a line-drive RBI double roped off the LF fence with one out in the bottom of the 5th, before eventually scoring on a two-out two-base throwing error by the Diamondbacks SS.
RHP Amaury Paulino made his 2011 U. S. debut, pitching the 9th and allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit (a double). He also committed a costly balk with two outs and a runner at 3rd. Paulino is the 9th pitcher called up from the Cubs Dominican Academy over the past two weeks, although he (and fellow RHP Starling Peralta) did attend AZ Instructs last fall.
Cubs RF Oliver Zapata was ejected from today’s game in the bottom of the 3rd after protesting a called third strike on a 3-2 pitch.
Here is today’s abridged box score (Cubs players only):
LINEUP:
1. Kyung-Min Na, CF: 2-3 (1B, BB, 1B, K, CS)
2. Vismeldy Bieneme, 2B: 1-4 (3B, F-8, K, L-8, R)
3. Marco Hernandez, SS: 1-4 (4-3, K, F-8, 1B, RBI)
4. Wilson Contreras, 1B: 0-3 (F-8, BB, K, 4-6-3 DP, R)
5. Reggie Golden, DH: 2-4 (F-9, 2B, P-3, 1B, R, RBI)
6. Wes Darvill, 3B: 1-4 (K, K, 1B, 1-3)
7. Eduardo Gonzalez, LF: 1-4 (P-4, E-6, 1B, K)
8. Johan DeJesus, C: 0-4 (F-7, F-7, 5-4-3 DP, F-7)
9a. Oliver Zapata, RF: 0-1 (K)
9b. Blair Springfield, RF: 1-3 (1B, K, F-9)
PITCHERS:
1. Luis Liria: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 35 pitches (22 strikes), 2/3 GO/FO
2. Jean Sandoval: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 26 pitches (17 strikes), 1/4 GO/FO
3. Jose Rosario: 2.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R (4 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 36 pitches (23 strikes), 2/2 GO/FO
4. Alvaro Sosa: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 18 pitches (11 strikes), 0/2 GO/FO
5. Amaury Paulino: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 1 BALK, 12 pitches (8 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO
ERRORS: 2
1. 3B Wes Darvill E5 – throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely and runner who was on 2nd base to score unearned run
2. SS Marco Hernandez E6 – throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely – eventually scored unearned run
CATCHERS DEFENSE
Johan DeJesus: 1-3 CS
OUTFIELD ASSISTS:
Kyung-Min Na threw out runner 8-2 trying to score from 2nd base on line-drive single to CF
ATTENDANCE: 16
WEATHER: Sunny & breezy with temperatures in the 80’s
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