Will the Vogelbach Curse Haunt Boise Hawks?

Dan Vogelbach singled twice, doubled, drove-in three runs, and scored three more, Carlos Penalver collected three singles and two RBI and scored two runs, and Danny Lockhart had four hits (three singles and a double) and scored twice, leading the AZL Cubs to a 12-6 victory over the Boise Hawks this morning at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa, AZ.  

Rock Shoulders (two singles, a double, and a walk) and Marco Hernandez (two singles, a triple, and two RBI) were the offensive stars for Boise in a losing cause.

Supersub IF-OF Gregori Gonzalez made his 2012 game debut today at DH. He suffered a broken arm in Spring Training.

Since Friday's intrasquad game, centerfielders Shawon Dunston Jr and Trey Martin have switched places, with Dunston now assigned to Boise and Martin assigned to the AZL Cubs. Also, OF Dong-Yub Kim (the hottest hitter at EXST over the last month, or actually ever since he started throwing left-handed) was the DH for Boise after playing with the AZL Cubs last week.

If you want to know how fluid the Boise and AZL Cubs rosters are right now, Brian Inoa was a DH for the AZL Cubs for the first six innings of today's game, and then got a "battlefield promotion" mid-game (after Gregori Gonzalez reported to the AZL Cubs bench and said his arm felt 100%), and he played 2nd base for Boise the last three frames. For the day (five PA combined between AZL Cubs and Boise), Inoa had three hits and a walk, scored two runs, and knocked in a couple more.

You occasionally hear stories about a guy getting traded between games of a doubleheader... How about getting promoted during the game?

None of the pitchers who threw in the game today game had much success, with the exception of veteran RHP Shane Lindsay, who struck out the side in the 9th on 11 pitches. The 27-year old Australian fireballer was sent to Fitch Park from AAA Iowa to work on his mechanics, and if today was any indication, his mechanics are just fine now. (The Cubs signed Lindsay to a minor league contract after he was releaed by the Dodgers last month).

Boise RHP James Pugliese had an especially poor outing, allowing seven runs (four earned) on 11 hits and a walk in five innings (81 pitches). Pugliese had been the best pitcher at Extended Spring Training over the previous nine weeks.

Prior to the game on Field #3, RHP Justin Berg (2011 TJS rehab) and LHP Zac Rosscup (biceps tendinitis) squared-off in a two-inning "sim" game on Field #2.

The Hawks will be flying to Boise tomorrow morning, and their first game is Friday night versus Salem-Keizer at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer, OR

Meanwhile, the AZL Cubs will continue to train & drill at Fitch Park ad nauseum for another week or so as draft picks begin to arrive (11th rounder IF-OF Rashad Crawford was there today, but he is not ready to play in games yet), before opening AZL play a week from Wednesday versus the AZL Giants up the road at HoHoKam Park.

All of the AZL Cubs games (home & road) will be night games (7 PM local start-time). The AZL Cubs will play games four nights in a row and then have a day-off every fifth day.

Here is the box score from today’s game:

AZL CUBS LINEUP:
1. Trey Martin, CF: 2-5 (5-3, 1B, K, 1B, K, 2 R)
2. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 4-5 (1B, 1B, 2B, 1B, E-3, 3 R, CS)
3. Carlos Penalver, SS: 3-5 (F-8, 1B, 1B, 1B, K, 2 R, 2 RBI)
4. Dan Vogelbach, 1B: 3-5 (1B, 1B, K, 2B, K, 3 R, 3 RBI)
5a. Brian Inoa, DH #1: 2-3  (1B, K, 1B, R, RBI)
5b. SLOT WAS SKIPPED LAST TWO TIMES THRU BATTING ORDER
NOTE: Inoa was DH for AZL Cubs first six innings, then played 2B for Boise last three innings
6a. SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TWO TIMES THRU BATTING ORDER
6b. Gregori Gonzalez, DH #2: 1-3 (L-6, 2B, K, RBI)
7. Justin Marra, C: 0-3 (BB, K, K, F-9)
8. Jair Bogaerts,, 3B: 0-4 (4-6-3 DP, 5-3, F-8, K)
9. Garrett Schlecht, RF: 2-4 (4-3, 1B, F-7, 3B, R, SB)
10. Trevor Gretzky, LF: 0-4 (5-3, K, 3-1, P-5)

BOISE LINEUP:
1. Shawon Dunston Jr, CF: 2-5 (3-U, P-5, 6-3, 3B, 1B, 2 R)
2a. Gioskar Amaya, 2B: 1-3 (1B, F-8, F-9, R, SB)
2b. Brian Inoa, 2B: 1-1 (BB, 1B, R, RBI)
NOTE: Inoa was DH for AZL Cubs first six innings, then played 2B for Boise last three innings
3. Marco Hernandez, SS: 3-5 (4-3, P-6, 1B, 1B, 3B, 2 RBI)
4. Wilson Contreras, C: 0-5 (K, 6-3, K, F-7, F-9)
5. Rock Shoulders, 1B: 3-4 (1B, F-8, 2B, BB, 1B, R, RBI)
6. Xavier Batista, LF: 1-5 (4-1, P-4, F-9, 2B, K)
7. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 2-4 (1B, 2B, 4-3, K, RBI)
8. Dong-Yub Kim, DH: 1-3 (6-4-3 DP, 1B, BB, F-8)
9. Eduardo Gonzalez, RF: 2-4 (K, 1B, 1-3, 1B, R)

AZL CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Tayler Scott: 4.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1 BALK, 1 GIDP, 51 pitches (34 strikes), 6/5 GO/FO
2. Ethan Elias: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 40 pitches (26 strikes), 2/2 GO/FO
3. Su-Min Jung: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 38 pitches (23 strikes), 1/2 GO/FO
4. Rafael Diplan: 0.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 15 pitches (12 strikes), 0/1 GO/FO

BOISE PITCHERS:
1. James Pugliese: 5.0 IP, 11 H, 7 R (4 ER), 1 BB, 5 K, 1 GIDP, 81 pitches (58 strikes), 6/2 GO/FO
2. Amaury Paulino: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R (4 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 46 pitches (33 strikes), 1/4 GO/FO
3. Shane Lindsay: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 11 pitches (9 strikes)

AZL CUBS ERRORS: NONE

BOISE ERRORS: 4
1. Wilson Contreras - E-2 (errant pick-off attempt at 2nd base allowed runner to advance to 3rd base and runner at 3rd base to score)
2. Wilson Contreras - E-2 (errant pick-off attempt at 3rd base allowed runners at 3rd base and at 1st base to score)
3. Rock Shoulders – E-3 (errant throw allowed runner at 2nd base to advance to 3rd base)
4. Rock Shoulders - E-3 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)

AZL CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Justin Marra: 0-1 CS, 2 PB

BOISE CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Wilson Contreras: 1-2 CS, 1 PB, 2 E (see above)

AZL CUBS OUTFIELD ASSISTS
LF Trevor Gretzky - threw out runner 7-2 trying to score from 2nd base on single to outfield

BOISE OUTFIELD ASSISTS:
RF Eduardo Gonzalez - threw out runner 9-2 trying to score from 2nd base on single to outfield

ATTENDANCE: 7

WEATHER: Sunny and a bit breezy with temperatures in the 90’s