Cubs & D'backs Split a Pair at T-Stick

Trevor Gretzky singled, doubled, walked, stole a base, scored three runs, and drove-in another, and Danny Lockhart belted an RBI triple to key a five-run 5th, leading the Cubs to a 7-2 victory over the Diamondbacks on Quail Field, and Jeimer Candelario and Xavier Batista each rapped a two-run single and Dustin Geiger laced an RBI double to highlight a five-run 2nd inning, but the D’backs took advantage of four Cub errors (including three errant throws on attempted pick-offs) to score seven unanswered runs en route to a 7-5 victory on Mesquite Field, as the Cubs and Diamondbacks split an Arizona Barbeque Festival Cactus League Extended Spring Training doubleheader this morning at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ.

3B Dustin Geiger returned to game action today, and hit the ball solidly in all three of his AB.

Geiger was set to be the starting third-baseman at Peoria at the start of the 2012 season, but he suffered a broken hamate bone in his right hand the last day of Minor League Camp, and has spent the past six weeks rehabbing at Fitch Park.

Although it did not lead to a victory for his squad, Trey Martin made two outstanding diving catches in CF in the game on Mesquite Field. He is one of the best defensive outfielders I have seen down here in a long time, and he has made a number of outstanding catches (and throws) from CF at EXST. He's Gold Glove caliber right now.

In what could possibly be described as “EXST Cubs News of the Weird,” 21-year old Korean outfielder Dong-Yub Kim is now throwing left-handed.

DY Kim signed with the Cubs in February 2009, receiving a reported $550K signing bonus (equivalent to “3rd round money”), and made his U. S. debut at AZ Instructs post-2009. At that time he looked like a young Jose Canseco (a 19-year old kid with a combination of speed, HR power, and a rifle-arm), before tearing up his right shoulder and missing the 2010 season. He was limited to playing DH and 1B (and occasionally LF) after returning to action last year, but he has yet to get back to where he was in October 2009 (pre-surgery).

I had noticed him occasionally throwing left-handed when shagging fly balls in BP, but this is the first time he’s thrown left-handed in a game. And he actually throws better left-handed than he does right-handed (post-surgery)!

In EXST Cubs roster news, recently-signed veteran minor league catcher Brian Esposito has been moved-up to AAA Iowa, replacing Blake Lalli on the I-Cubs roster. Esposito played in one EXST game (yesterday) prior to the promotion, and went 0-4 with a walk. 

Brian, we hardly knew ye!

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

QUAIL FIELD

CUBS SQUAD “A” LINEUP:
1. Shawon Dunston Jr, CF: 1-4 (F-7, 3-U, 2B, K, R, RBI)
2. Carlos Penalver, SS: 0-3 (6-3, F-8 SF, 6-3, K, RBI)
3. Dong-Yub Kim, LF: 0-2 (E-1, 6-3, F-8 SF, BB, RBI)
4. Dan Vogelbach, 1B: 0-4 (K, 3-U, K, L-4)
5. Brian Inoa, DH #1: 0-3 (K+WP, F-7, K)
6a. Wilfredo Petit, C: 1-2 (1B, 1-3)
6b. Justin Marra, C: 0-0 (BB)
7. Eduardo Gonzalez, RF: 1-3 (3-2 FC, 1B, K, R)
8. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 2-3 (K, 3B, 1B, R, RBI)
9. Jair Bogaerts, 3B: 0-2 (4-3, BB, 4-U FC, R)
10. Trevor Gretzky, DH #2: 2-2 (BB, 2B, 1B, 3 R, RBI, SB)

CUBS SQUAD “A” PITCHERS:
1. Ian Dickson: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 42 pitches (27 strikes), 3/5 GO/FO
2. Ryan Rowland-Smith: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 15 pitches (8 strikes), 0/1 GO/FO
3. Jin-Young Kim: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1 PO, 28 pitches (17 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO
4. Jorge Diaz: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 17 pitches (11 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO

CUBS SQUAD “A” ERRORS: 1:
3B Jair Bogaerts - E-5 (two-base throwing error allowed batter to reach 2nd base safely)

CUBS SQUAD “A” CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Wilfredo Petit: 1 PB

MESQUITE FIELD

CUBS SQUAD “B” LINEUP:
1. Trey Martin, CF: 0-3 (6-3, BB, 1-3, K, R)
2. Gioskar Amaya, 2B: 2-4 (6-3, 1B, 1B+E5, 3-U, PO)
3. Javier Baez, SS: 1-3 (1B, K, 6-3, 2 SB)
4. Xavier Batista, LF: 2-2 (BB, 1B, 2B, R, 2 RBI)
5. Rock Shoulders, 1B: 0-1 (F-8, BB, BB, R)
6. Dustin Geiger, 3B-DH: 1-3 (5-3, 2B, 3-U, R, RBI)
7. Jeimer Candelario, DH-3B: 1-3 (F-7, 1B, K, 2 RBI)
8. Wilson Contreras, C: 1-3 (2B, K, K)
9. Yasiel Balaguert, DH #2: 0-3 (4-3, F-7, L-9)
10. Garrett Schlecht, RF: 1-3 (2B, K, K, R)
11a. SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
11b. Neftali Rosario, DH #3: 0-0 (HBP)
11b. Kevin Encarnacion, PH: 1-1 (1B)

CUBS SQUAD “B” PITCHERS:
1. Starling Peralta: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 1 GIDP, 57 pitches (37 strikes), 4/3 GO/FO
2. Hunter Ackerman: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 0 K, 24 pitches (12 strikes), 3/3 GO/FO
3. Matt Spencer: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 15 pitches (9 strikes), 0/2 GO/FO
4. Daniel Adrian: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 10 pitches (7 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO

CUBS SQUAD “B” ERRORS: 4
1. P Starling Peralta - E-1 (errant throw on pick-off attempt at 2nd base with bases loaded allowed runner on 3rd to score unearned run)
2. P Starling Peralta - E-1 (errant throw on pick-off attempt at 2nd base allowed runner to advance to 3rd)
3. 2B Gioskar Amaya - E-4 (dropped pop fly with two outs allowing batter to reach base safely and baserunner to score unearned run)
4. C Wilson Contreras - E-2 (errant throw on pick-off attempt at 1st base allowed baserunner to advance to 3rd base – eventually scored unearned run)

CUBS SQUAD “B” CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Wilson Contreras: 0-2 CS, 1 E (see above)

ATTENDANCE: 19

WEATHER: Sunny & breezy with temperatures in the 90's