Leaver It to a Beaver to Rally A's to Victory

With his team down 4-3 with two outs in the bottom of the 8th, Ryan Ortiz ripped a two-run HR over the LF fence to give the EXST Athletics the lead and eventually the victory, as the EXST Cubs were edged 5-4 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Connie Mack Field at the Papago Sports Complex in Phoenix.  



The A’s 2009 6th round draft pick out of Oregon State (where he was a teammate of Cubs infielder Darwin Barney on the 2007 CWS champion Beavers), Ortiz is at Extended Spring Training rehabbing from an injury suffered in Minor League Camp.


The Cubs offensive star of the day was 2B Pin-Chieh Chen, who reached base four times (three singles and a walk) and scored twice.


Conversely, Kyung-Min Na had a bad day all around, striking out four times (that’s the ol’ “Golden Sombrero,” folks) and dropping a fly ball in CF for a two-base error.


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


LINEUP:
1. Kyung-Min Na, CF: 0-5 (K, 6-4 FC+E-4, K, K, K, R)
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED 2nd TIME THROUGH BATTING ORDER
2. Dustin Harrington, SS: 0-3 (E-5, 5-3, F-9)
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED 3rd and 5th TIMES THROUGH BATTING ORDER
3. Jesus Morelli, RF: 1-5 (K, P-3, 6-3, 1B, 6-3, RBI)
4a. Chad Noble, C: 1-4 (6-3, 4-3, 2B, 1-3)
4b. Brian Inoa, C: 0-1 (F-7)
5. Pin-Chieh Chen, 2B: 3-4 (1B, BB, F-7, 1B, 1B, 2 R)
6a. Dustin Geiger, 1B: 1-4 (1B, E-4, 5-3, 3-6 FC, R)
6b. Xavier Batista, 1B: 0-1 (6-4-3 DP)
7a. Blair Springfield, LF: 1-3 (K, 1B, K, BB, RBI)
7b. Eduardo Gonzalez, LF: 0-0 (BB)
8. Max Kwan, DH: 2-5 (2B, K, 2B, K, P-3, 2 RBI)
9a. Vismeldy Bieneme, 3B: 1-3 (3-U, 1B, K)
9b. Gregori Gonzalez, 3B: 0-2 (K, K)


PITCHERS:
1. Luis Liria: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 5 K, 1 WP, 51 pitches (27 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO
2. Austin Reed: 2.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1 HBP, 1 GIDP, 54 pitches (26 strikes), 4/1 GO/FO
3. Willengton Cruz: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 1 WP, 32 pitches (22 strikes), 2/2 GO/FO
4. Alvaro Sosa: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 11 pitches (8 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO


ERRORS: 1:
CF Kyung-Min Na E8 – dropped fly ball allowed batter to reach 2nd base safely


CATCHERS DEFENSE
Chad Noble: 0-1 CS, 1 PO


OUTFIELD DEFENSE:
LF Eduardo Gonzalez threw out batter-runner 7-4 trying to stretch single into a double


ATTENDANCE: 6


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


 

Tags: 
Extended Spring Training
EXST Cubs
Pin-Chieh Chen
Submitted by Arizona Phil on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 6:11pm
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Comments

Submitted by navigator
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 7:48pm

Sam "Superman" Fuld has one hit in his last 25 AB's.....

alas

Submitted by crunch
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 8:28pm

lies. infidel.

Submitted by navigator
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:13pm

UPDATE now 1/26

Submitted by QuietMan
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:50pm

At Ferg’s Sports Bar and Grill, a popular hangout across the street from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., more than 300 people — six times the normal weeknight crowd with the Rays on the road — turned out Thursday to watch 10 contestants compete in a Sam Fuld lookalike contest, owner Mark Ferguson said. The winner was an 8-year-old girl who darkened her face to simulate the former Cub’s trim beard.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/...

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 11:00pm

People in Florida have nothing to do since they stopped attacking German tourists.

Submitted by Jumbo
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 11:12am

I was expecting a side by side comparison of Fuld and the winner at the end of that link.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:05pm

ARam called out at second on a horrible call, meanwhile Quade is caught napping again and doesn't bother to come out of the dugout.

Submitted by jacos
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:06pm

Cubs 4-5-6 hitters 1 hr, that hr was hit one month ago.
Cubs 7-8 hitters 12 hr

/screw quade, f hendry

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:09pm

Cubs 7 hitter 11 HR's.
Other 24 players on the roster 11 HR's.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:10pm

He looked ridiculous on Either's bloop single.

Submitted by navigator
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:20pm

woah! WSux just got no hit.

Submitted by Koyies Bansaw
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:42pm

Phil,

Any Augie Ojeda news? With him injured, who do you think they Cubs would call up if anything happened to Castro?

You're the man, AZPhil!

Submitted by The E-Man
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:47pm

I think you mean bandsaw - not "bansaw" if you are trying to come up with a clever name.

Submitted by Koyies Bansaw
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 11:03pm

Thanks?

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 8:06am

Maybe the "d" was cutoff to represent Koyie's temporariliy missing fingers or his inability to throw runners out.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 10:49pm

"Bandsaw"...Bobby Scales looms.

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:06am

Submitted by Koyies Bansaw on Tue, 05/03/2011 - 9:42pm.
Phil,

Any Augie Ojeda news? With him injured, who do you think they Cubs would call up if anything happened to Castro?

You're the man, AZPhil!

============================================

K BANSAW: I have not seen Augie Ojeda on the field, although that does not mean he isn't involved in a physical therapy & rehab program at Fitch Park.

As for who the Cubs would call up if something happerned to Castro or Barney (the two guys presently on the 25-man roster who can play SS), I would say probably Ryan Flaherty, because he is a "natural" (albeit outgrown) SS who can play 2B-SS-3B-1B-LF.

And since Flaherty will be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time post-2011, he probably was a likely candidate to get added to the 40-man roster by the 11/20 deadline anyway.

Submitted by Koyies Bansaw
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 11:33pm

Thanks Phil, you're the best. The XST updates are very much appreciated.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 1:07am

Wow, you know fans are turned off when the team rallies in the 9th for a win and nobody posts a thing on TCR.

Submitted by crunch
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:59am

4 of us enjoyed the win in parachat.

it was a nice game...for once.

Submitted by Raisin101
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 1:26am

Hi Arizona Phil...

I was wondering what your thought were about Luis Liria. Thanks!

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:14am

Submitted by Raisin101 on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 12:26am.
Hi Arizona Phil...

I was wondering what your thought were about Luis Liria. Thanks!

====================================

RAISIN: Luis Liria throws a full array of pitches, including a couple of different fastballs, a slider, a curve, and a change-up which I have been told is a splitter.

The only negative with Liria is spotty command, but otherwise he looks to be a decent pitching prospect. I think the command issue is probably what kept him from starting the season at Peoria, but I do believe he and Matt Loosen are next in line to get moved-up now that Bristow and Jung have left.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 1:58am

to Carlos Pena's first Cub HR...

went with the family today, so can't say I paid too close attention as getting ice cream was a bigger priority. Crowd seemed significantly larger tonight...

Two decent pitchers, two terrible offenses...goose eggs galore. Byrd's shit arm was on display for the first Dodger run. I guess you need luck as much as skill for a 29-game hitting streak, Ethier sure has been the last two games.

Girls were dozing off by the 8th but I caught Barney's awesome play to end the 8th just as we were walking out and caught the winning rally on radio.

Ice cream (well frozen yogurt) was found and it just tastes better served in a mini-helmet.

Submitted by jacos
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 6:56am

Did you wear cub gear?

Submitted by The E-Man
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 7:47am

Did you pay for tickets?

Submitted by Rob G.
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:19am

The cheapest $12 ones, knew we would be leaving early

Submitted by Rob G.
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:17am

Of course

Submitted by Jumbo
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 11:16am

And no savage beating afterwards. Hooray!

Submitted by Rob G.
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 12:39pm

cops everywhere now, shame that it required a savage beating to make it happen.

Been going for 14 years now to Cubs games there, never much a problem for me. If you're not a dick about it, not much to worry about.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:01am

Russell back to the pen according to rotoworld blurb/Sullivan.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 8:04am

Why?

Submitted by Dusty Baylor
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 8:15am

I'm going to hope that Jay Jackson is coming up...or that because of off days the 5th spot isn't needed for a while...

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:18am

Submitted by Dusty Baylor on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 7:15am.
I'm going to hope that Jay Jackson is coming up...or that because of off days the 5th spot isn't needed for a while...

==========================================

D BAYLOR: A 5th starter will not be needed again until Saturday May 14th.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:24am

Starter not needed until the Saturday after this, wells or Davis should be ready by then, possibly even cashner

Submitted by jacos
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:01am

Then it's LOOK OUT NL!!!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:15am

Getting those guys back will be like making a mid-season trade!

Submitted by Cubster
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 6:44am

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/time...

a timely piece from Chris Cwik at Fangraphs recommending that it might be time to take F. Liriano out of the Twins rotation.

next: Pujols could excel as a utility infielder

{faceplant}

Submitted by navigator
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 6:58am

the flipside of this is the overly optimistic "timely" piece like the one in today's SunTimes:

Cubs’ Fukudome confident he can keep it going after red-hot April
May 4, 2011 2:13AM

In reality he's 2 for his last 21 and April is a faded rose.....same Fukudome, same as always

Submitted by JoePepitone
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:52pm

Same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 8:05am

Six walks and two K's in the no-hitter? He probably was right.

Submitted by Tito
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:49am

The lineup angst raises an interesting question (to me, anyway). Soriano's hitting HRs and driving in runs, but his OBP is terrible. So does his production in those areas outweigh the negatives in others? Should he really be higher up?

Submitted by jacos
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:01am

If it's Marlon Byrd or Pena as the options then yes move him up.

Submitted by Charlie
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:08am

He'd be a good 5 or 6 hitter right now, preferably with Soto and ARam in front of him. Byrd has no business in the #3 spot, and I'm starting to wonder whether Castro gets a little psyched out by being a #3 hitter at this point in his career (though I would be okay with giving that more time). I'd be happy to go back to something like the following:

Castro
Barney/Fukudome
Ramirez
Soto
Soriano
Pena/Colvin
Byrd/Colvin
Fukudome/Barney

It'd be nice to get one of our lefthanders going, though. Maybe Pena is about to go on a hot streak. Colvin seems to have disappeared from the lineup lately. If you're going to slump, I guess you better at least make tons of money while you do it or else you'll ride the pine.

Submitted by Jumbo
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 11:21am

I think Castro is pressing when in the 3 spot. I would leave him at leadoff all year. If he ends up hitting bombs routinely then move him to 3.

I like your lineup at least until Barney turns back into a pumpkin. That and I would switch Soto and Ramirez

Submitted by Hrubes20
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 10:03am

I see that we got the "bad" Austin Reed today. Man, I hope the pitching coaches down there in EXST can figure out a way to get his mechanics more consistent.

And that lineup is just awful. Barely one prospect in it that is worth monitoring.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 12:13pm

Castro SS, Barney 2B, Byrd CF, Ramirez 3B, Baker RF, Soto C, Soriano LF, Peña 1B, Zambrano P

vs. Lilly

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 1:32pm

I like the idea of Pena hitting 8th. Since one of his main skills is walking (with the occasional HR we hope), we can expect him to do more of that in the 8th hole at least.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 12:24pm

Cashner and Wells going to Arizona to continue rehab.

from Sullivan twitter

that can't be good...earlier in the week it was they didn't need to go to Arizona cause they were doing so well.

Submitted by navigator
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 12:54pm

It's hardly ever mentioned anywhere but Riggins was responsible for preparing these guys to be starters both in AAA and with the Cubs. He didn't do much of a job of that.

I'd like to say something in his defense but he's got the Cubs ranked 30th/30 major league staffs and frankly, this is all I know about him.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 1:06pm

but he's not Larry Rothschild, who kicked puppies and practiced satanic witchcraft.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:19pm

Who are you talking about, beacause Wells seemed pretty prepared when he came to the big leagues, and Cashner got put into a bullpen role... why no one is quite clear on. Are you talking about Coleman? Leo Mazzones and Dave Duncan's love child can make a decent MLB starter a guy with his level of talent.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 12:26pm

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/dr...

few Cubbies recall draft day

Submitted by jacos
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:07pm

Seems like Either has a hit in every game against the Cubs this year.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:42pm

Cubs and Dodgers wearing throw back jerseys today. Tuned in a little late, didn't hear what years they are from.

UPDATE: They're from the 40's. Dodgers apparently will wear these regularly this season on some occasional weekday games.

I'll do my Pat Hughes impression:

The Dodgers are wearing royal blue jerseys with a white "Brooklyn" on the front. A white stripe runs down the sleeve and pant leg. White numbers on the back with no names. Dark blue stirrup socks. Blue hats, blue shoes.

Cubs are in gray jerseys with blue "Chicago" across the front, a red stripe underlines "Chicago". Dark blue pull up sox with red stripes. Blue shoes, blue hats. No names on jerseys. Blue numbers.

Green grass. Few fans. The bleachers are almost completely empty, it looks really odd.

Submitted by QuietMan
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:12pm

Bud Selig needs to step in and use his best interest of baseball power to ban the Dodgers from wearing these uni's again. Shit ugly is what Pat Hughes should have said.

Submitted by crunch
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:43pm

...soriano should have been on 2nd base.

should have...

Submitted by crunch
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:47pm

WHAT THE HELL WHAT THAT???

HE TRIES TO TAKE 2ND ON A FLY BALL TO LEFT SHY OF THE WARNING TRACK OFF GWYNN?

between his D and baserunning...man...

damn u dusty and and lou and mike barrett and bin laden's 1/2 of a face...

Submitted by crunch
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:45pm

dodgers playing a diamond defense on c.pena rather than the full shift in an attempt to take away the bunt single.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:47pm

Wow. Soriano thrown out by 4 feet sliding into second trying to tag up from first on a fly ball to left.

Submitted by crunch
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 2:48pm

pathetic attempt. actually, no, it's a stupid attempt.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:24pm

Question: Why does Soto bat 6th?
Answer: Because Soriano, MLB's leading HR hitter bats 7th, and the guy who hit a HR last night bats 8th.

Submitted by crunch
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:28pm

pena hr! solo...

25hr on the year for the team...17 solo.

Submitted by crunch
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:35pm

make that 17 for 26...byrd 3 run homer...a very, very, visually happy byrd.

Submitted by Rob Richardson
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:37pm

Lilly seems to have hit a bit of a rough patch in the 6th inning.

Submitted by The Real Neal
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:40pm

No pun intended.

Submitted by Paul Noce
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:39pm

We have the slowest baserunners in history.

Submitted by crunch
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:40pm

wtf was aram doing there anyway? odd.

he hasn't attempted a SB since 2009, btw.

Submitted by jacos
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:47pm

Lilly must have found out he wasn't getting paid this month

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110504/ap_on_sp_...

Submitted by crunch
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 3:49pm

someone should have told jay gibbons...who just cashed in a RBI.

he actually plays today because of the begging he did for a minor league deal in 2010 (he was playing indie ball in 2009). he sent out an offer to every team that he'd donate his entire minor league pay if they'd just hire him.

Submitted by crunch
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 4:43pm

sweet...cubs win.

if they can win 2 more and get to .500 i might start caring more if they win or lose.

Submitted by Rob G.
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 4:51pm

Cubs proved today they can hit the crap out of 87 mph fastballs and hanging sliders.

Well done.

Nice when the other team only has 1 guy that should be starting in the majors in the lineup.

Submitted by Cubster
on Wed, 05/04/2011 - 9:46pm

Aaron Miles?

Submitted by JoePepitone
on Thu, 05/05/2011 - 12:20am

That Pena HR was crushed. Hit the facing of the second level in right field, far back of the fence.

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