Maholm Throws Five Innings at Fitch Park

Ronald Torreyes had four hits and Ryan Cuneo drove-in five runs with a three-run home run and a two-run single, leading the Daytona Cubs to a 10-3 victory over the San Jose Giants (San Francisco Giants Hi-A affiliate) on Field #3, and Cubs 2011 1st round draft pick Javier Baez smacked an opposite-field solo HR over the RF fence and onto 8th Street in the 3rd and ripped a line-drive double off the CF “Green Monster” Batter’s Eye to key a two-run 9th, as the Peoria Chiefs rallied for four runs over the final two innings to tie the Augusta GreenJackets (Giants “A” affiliate) 6-6 on Field #2, in Cactus League Minor League game action this afternoon at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.

While most of the Cubs MLB squad had the day off, LHP Paul Maholm threw five innings (71 pitches – 48 strikes) for the Daytona Cubs at Fitch Park. Maholm allowed one run on two hits and a walk, with seven strikeouts, and 6/1 GO/FO. Maholm is a bit behind the other Cubs starting pitchers, having missed about a week of workouts last month while dealing with the flu, but today’s outing should get him to where he needs to be.

Cubs 2010 1st round draft pick Hayden Simpson made his second start of Minor League Spring Training, and had a better outing than his first one last Saturday. Pitching for Peoria on Field #2, Simpson allowed one run on two hits and a walk in the top of the 1st, but got out of a 1st & 3rd one-out jam by inducing a 4-6-3 DP to end the inning, and then set the side down in order in both the 2nd and 3rd innings. He retired the last eight men he faced.

Daytona LHP Austin Kirk had an interesting outing, entering the game on Field #3 in the top of the 8th and immediately walking the bases loaded, before striking out five of the next six men he faced.<.p>

The Peoria game featured one of the more-peculiar base-running gaffes I’ve seen in a while.

With Peoria down 6-4 with two outs in the bottom of the 8th, and with 19-year old Cuban defector Yasiel Balaguert on 2nd and Kenny Socorro on 3rd and a 3-2 count on Dan Vogelbach, Balaguert inexplicably broke for 3rd. I’m not exactly sure how it’s done in Cuba, but I doubt that this is how it’s outlined in the new Cubs Way manual. It’s not good strategy to break with the pitch—even if it’s a 3-2 pitch with two outs, if you’re on 2nd base, 3rd base is occupied, and 1st base is unoccupied.

Needless to say, Socorro was surprised to see Balaguert running up behind him at 3rd base, and Vogelbach had a classic WTF!? reaction after arriving at 1st base. While Balaguert did realize his mistake and tried to back-peddle to 2nd, the Giants were too smart for the ploy, and at one point both Balaguert and Socorro were strung-out between the bases, before the Giants finally got the 3rd out.

This should give Cubs Minor League Baserunning instructor Lee Tinsley something to discuss during base-running drills tomorrow morning, although they work on this stuff EVERY DAY.

While Peoria had rallies over the last two innings to tie the score at six, the Chiefs left runners in scoring position in both innings, first with the Balaguert baserunning adventure ending the 8th, and then getting the winning run as far as 3rd base with one out in the bottom of the 9th, before a 5-3 ground out and a line-out to RF ended the threat.

As is usually the case, players from the Boise/Mesa squad provided most of the late-inning lineup replacements in both the Peoria and Daytona games.

AAA Iowa and AA Tennessee were on the road in Scottsdale today playing the Giants AAA and AA affiliates at Indian School Park.

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

FITCH PARK FIELD #2

PEORIA LINEUP:
1. Shawon Dunston, Jr, LF: 1-4 (3-1, 4-6-3 DP, BB, 1B, L-9, R, RBI, SB)
2a. Gioskar Amaya, 2B: 0-3 (K, 3-U, 6-3)
2b. Kenny Socorro, 2B: 0-0 (BB)
3. Marco Hernandez, DH #1: 0-3 (3-U, K, F-8, F-9 SF, RBI)
4. Yasiel Balaguert, DH-RF: 0-3 (6-3, L-6, L-9, BB, PO)
5. Dan Vogelbach, 1B: 1-3 (K, K, 2B, BB)
6. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 2-4 (3-U, 1B, 1B, 6-3)
7. Javier Baez, SS: 2-3 (HR, K, BB, 2B, 2 R, RBI)
8. Oliver Zapata, RF-DH: 1-4 (K, 1-3, K, 3B, R, RBI)
9. Trey Martin, CF: 0-3 (BB, 4-3, K, FC, R, RBI, 2 SB)
10a. Wilfredo Petit, C: 1-1 (1B, RBI)
10b. Wilson Contreras, C: 1-3 (F-9, 3B, 5-3, R)

PEORIA PITCHERS:
1. Hayden Simpson: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 1 GIDP, 44 pitches (27 strikes), 4/2 GO/FO
2. Su-Min Jung: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 0 K, 2 HBP, 1 WP, 31 pitches (15 strikes), 1/3 GO/FO
3. Sheldon McDonald: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 27 pitches (20 strikes), 4/3 GO/FO
4. Hector Mayora: 2.0 IP, 3 H , 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 26 pitches (20 strikes),3/1 GO/FO

PEORIA ERRORS: 2
1. C Wilfredo Petit - E2 (errant throw attempting to throw out runner trying to score from 3rd on a WP allowed runner on 2nd base to score)
2. 3B Jeimer Candelario - E5 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base)

PEORIA CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Wilfredo Petit: 1 PO, 1 E (see above)

PEORIA OUTFIELD ASSISTS:
Yasiel Balaguert threw out runner 9-4-5 trying to stretch a double into a triple

FITCH PARK FIELD #3

DAYTONA LINEUP:
1. Pin-Chieh Chen, CF: 0-3 (BB, K, F-7 SF, P-6, F-8, R, RBI)
2. Ronald Torreyes, 2B: 4-5 (1B, 1B+E9, 1B, 1B, F-9, 3 R)
3a. Reggie Golden, RF: 0-2 (BB, E-5, BB, P-6, 2 R)
3b. Delbis Arcila, RF: 0-1 (3-U)
4. Ryan Cuneo, 1B: 2-3 (1B, HR, E-1, BB, R, 5 RBI)
5a. Micah Gibbs, C: 0-1 (F-9 SF, 4-3, BB, R, RBI)
5b. Sergio Burruel, C: 0-1 (F-8)
6. Elliot Soto, SS: 2-4 (1B, F-7, 1B, F-9, R)
7. Rubi Silva, DH: 0-4 (K, 6-3, 3-1, F-7)
8a. Mayke Reyes, LF: 0-1 (HBP, BB, K, R, SB, CS)
8b. Jeffrey Baez, LF: 0-1 (6-3)
9a. Arismendy Alcantara, 3B: 1-3 (F-7, 4-3, 2B, 2 RBI)
9b. Brad Zapenas, 3B: 0-0 (BB)

DAYTONA PITCHERS:
1. Paul Maholm: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 7 K, 1 WP, 71 pitches (48 strikes), 6/1 GO/FO
2. Brett Wallach: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 2 WP, 27 pitches (15 strikes), 3/1 GO/FO
3. Austin Kirk: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 5 K, 39 pitches (24 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO

DAYTONA ERRORS: NONE

DAYTONA CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Sergio Burruel: 0-1 CS

DAYTONA OUTFIELD DEFENSE:
Reggie Golden - threw out runner 9-2 trying to score from 2nd base on single to RF

ATTENDANCE: 68

WEATHER: Sunny, with temperatures in the 70’s