Trey & Whitey Toast the Brew Crew

Trey Martin belted a bases-loaded triple and Kevin Encarnacion crushed a two-run triple to highlight a nine-run 3rd, Jeimer Candelario doubled twice, walked, and drove-in a run, and Rob Whitenack threw six strong innings, allowing one run (unearned) on three hits (all singles), with no walks and seven strikeouts, to help the Cubs cruise past the Brewers 12-1 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Maryvale Baseball Complex Field #7 (AKA “Paul Molitor Field”) in Phoenix, AZ.

The nine-run Cub 3rd lasted about 30 minutes and was unusual for an Extended Spring Training game because the opposing manager will usually stop the inning (“ROLL IT!”) before it can get that far. But the Brewers made a pitching change mid-inning, so the scoring continued unabated.

Trailing 1-0 after two innings of play, Trey Martin led-off the top of the 3rd by drawing a walk. Wilfredo Petit then bounced a chopper to the first baseman, who made an erant throw to 2nd atempting to force Martin. Kevin Encarnacion followed Petit and made the Brew Crew pay for the error, smashing a triple off the LF fence to drive-in Martin and Petit. Encarnacion scored on an Eduardo Gonzalez ground ball RBI single through the box, and then Gonzalez stole 2nd and scored when Carlos Penalver blooped an RBI double into short CF. Jeimer Candelario ripped an RBI double into the RF corner to plate Penalver, and Xavier Batista was hit by a pitch and Wilson Contreras reached base on an E-6 to load the bases, still with no outs. After Neftali Rosario struck out and Danny Lockhart bounced into a 3-2 FC at home, Trey Martin unloaded the biggest hit of the inning, a bases-clearing two-out three-run triple over the centerfielder’s head to make the score 8-1. Martin scored the 9th run of the inning on a WP a moment later, his second run scored in the inning.

Rob Whitenack was a strike-throwing machine today (56 pitches - 45 strikes), and when the Brewers did put a bat on the ball, they mostly beat ground balls into the dirt (8/3 GO/FO).

Rehabbing from June 2011 TJS, Whitenack has been outstanding so far at EXST:
0.64 ERA
0.75 WHIP
.196 Opp BA
73% GO
73% strikes
28.0 IP, 19 H, 4 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 26 K, 2 HBP, 1 HR, 2 GIDP

I doubt that "Whitey" will be staying down here much longer.

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

CUBS LINEUP:
1a. Eduardo Gonzalez, LF: 2-3 (K, 1B, 1B, BB, R, RBI, SB)
1b. Garrett Schlecht, LF: 1-1 (2B, R)
2. Carlos Penalver, SS: 1-5 (6-3, 2B, F-9, F-9, K, R, RBI)
3a. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 2-3 (2B, 2B, BB, F-9, RBI)
3b. Jair Bogaerts, 3B: 0-1 (E-5)
4a. Xavier Batista, 1B-DH: 0-2 (K, HBP, BB, K, R)
4b. SLOT WAS SKIPPED LAST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
5a. SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST THREE TIMES THRU BATTING ORDER
5b. Trevor Gretzky, 1B: 0-2 (L-5, E-5)
6. Wilson Contreras, DH #1: 1-5 (6-3, E-6, K, 1B, 4-3, 2 R)
7. Neftali Rosario, DH-C: 1-5 (F-8, K, K, 2B, 4-3)
8. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 0-5 (4-3, 3-2 FC, 4-3, 3-1, F-8, R, RBI)
9. Trey Martin, CF: 1-4 (BB, 3B, K, K, F-9, 2 R, 3 RBI)
10. Wilfredo Petit, C-DH: 0-2 (FC, BB, 4-3, HBP, 2 R)
11. Kevin Encarnacion, RF: 1-3 (3B, HBP, 4-3, F-7, R, 2 RBI)

CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Rob Whitenack: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 7 K, 2 HBP, 1 GIDP, 56 pitches (45 strikes), 8/3 GO/FO
2. Brian Smith: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP, 1 PO, 13 pitches (8 strikes), 0/2 GO/FO
3. Matt Spencer: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 21 pitches (15 strikes), 0/1 GO/FO
4. Carlos Martinez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 GIDP, 14 pitches (7 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO

CUBS ERRORS: 1
2B Danny Lockhart - E-4 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely – eventually scored unearned run)

ATTENDANCE: 6

WEATHER: Sunny, hot, and a bit breezy, with temperatures 100+