Brett Jackson Gets Back into Action at Fitch Park

Brett Jackson singled twice, walked, scored a run, and drove-in another, and Zeke DeVoss smacked a solo HR, but it wasn't enough as the Inland Empire 66ers (Los Angeles Angels Hi-A affiliate) defeated the Daytona Cubs 5-3 on Field #3, and Oliver Zapata knocked-in three runs with two run-scoring triples, Yasiel Balaguert doubled twice, Carlos Penalver walked and tripled, scored two runs, and kocked-in one, and Gioskar Amaya singled, tripled, stole a base, scored a run, and collected an RBI, helping the Kane County Cougars beat the Burlington Bees (Angels Lo-A affiliate) 6-3 on Field #2, in Cactus League Minor League Camp action this afternoon at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Jackson saw his first game action since being sidelined with a sore shoulder ten days ago, and worked as a DH in the Daytona game. He went 2-5 with two singles, a walk, a ground out, and two fly outs in six Plate Appearances, batting once in each of the first six innings. It's still possible that B-Jax could start the season on the Cubs MLB 15-day DL, but he didn't show any difficulty swinging the bat today. Of course whether he can throw without pain is another issue altogether.

Iowa SP Nick Struck was left behind at Fitch Park while his I-Cubs teammates traveled to Tempe to play Salt Lake (the Angels AAA affiliate in the PCL), and the right-hander got four AB between the two games. His job was to lay down a bunt in a sacrifice situation, and he was successful all four times. (The DH is used at all times in "A" ball, Short-season, Rookie, and Latin Rookie leagues, but the AA and AAA leagues use the DH only when an American League affiliate is playing a home game, so I-Cubs and Tennessee Smokies pitchers have to be able to handle the bat).

Erick Castillo, Ethan Elias, James Pugliese, and Jasvir Rakkar were temporarily moved-up from the Boise/Mesa squad (Extended Spring Training), and each of them saw action (E. Castillo, Elias, and Pugliese with Kane County, and Rakkar with Daytona).

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games (Cubs players only):

FITCH PARK FIELD #2

KANE COUNTY LINEUP:
1. Oliver Zapata, CF: 2-4 (3-U, 3B, 3B, K, R, 3 RBI)
2. Gioskar Amaya, 2B: 2-4 (1B, 1-3, 2B, K, R, RBI, SB)
3. Marco Hernandez, DH #1: 2-4 (1B, 3-U, 6-5 FC, 1B, RBI, SB, PO)
4. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 1-3 (4-3, 1B, F-9, BB)
5a. Rock Shoulders, 1B: 0-3 (F-8, F-7, 1-3)
5b. Justin Marra, 1B: 0-1 (K)
6a. Willson Contreras, C: 0-3 (F-7, P-6, 1-3)
6b. Erick Castillo, C: 0-1 (6-3)
7. Shawon Dunston Jr, LF: 0-3 (BB, 4-3, 3-U, 1-3, R)
8. Yasiel Balaguert, RF: 2-3 (F-8, 2B, 2B, R)
9a. SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
9b. Nick Struck, DH #2: 0-0 (1-3 SH)
9c. Lance Rymel, PH: 0-1 (1-3)
10. Carlos Penalver, SS: 1-2 (BB, 3B, 6-3, 2 R, RBI)

KANE COUNTY PITCHERS:
1. Brian Smith: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 45 pitches (27 strikes), 3/2 GO/FO
2. James Pugliese: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 46 pitches (28 strikes), 3/1 GO/FO
3. Hunter Ackerman: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 43 pitches (29 strikes), 3/1 GO/FO
4. Ethan Elias: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 1 HR, 32 pitches (16 strikes), 1/1 GO/FO
NOTE: Game was stopped with two outs in top of 9th when Elias reached his pre-planned max pitch limit for the inning

KANE COUNTY ERRORS: 1
1B Justin Marra - E-3 (missed catch allowed batter to reach base safely)

KANE COUNTY CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Willson Contreras: 2-2 CS

FITCH PARK FIELD #3

DAYTONA LINEUP:
X-1. Brett Jackson, DH #1; 2-5 (1B, 3-1, 1B, F-7, F-9, BB, R, RBI)
NOTE: Jackson batted six times, hitting third in the 1st & 4th innings, and first in the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th innings
X-2 Nick Struck, DH #2: 0-0 (5-4 SH, 3-4 SH, 3-U SH)
NOTE: Struck batted three times, hitting fifth in the 1st inning, and second in the 3rd & 6th innings
1. Pin-Chieh Chen, CF-DH: 1-3 (F-8, 1B, CI-E2, 4-3)
2. Tim Saunders, 3B: 2-3 (1B, 1B, BB, L-7, R, SB)
3a. Steve Bruno, 2B: 1-2 (1B, 5-3 DP)
3b. Anthony Giansanti, 2B: 0-2 (5-3, 1-3)
4a. Dan Vogelbach, 1B: 0-2 (5-3, K)
4b. Ben Carhart, 1B: 0-1 (L-8)
5. Taiwan Easterling, RF: 1-3 (1-3, 1B, K)
6a. Yaniel Cabezas, C: 2-2 (1B, 1B, PO)
6b. Taylor Davis, C: 0-1 (5-3)
7a. Bijan Rademacher, LF: 0-2 (F-7, 4-3)
7b. Reggie Golden, LF: 0-1 (K)
8. Wes Darvill, SS: 0-3 (F-9, F-8, K)
9. Zeke DeVoss, DH-CF: 2-3 (HR, 1B+E5, 6-3, R, RBI)

DAYTONA PITCHERS:
1. Ben Wells: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 3 K, 2 HBP, 56 pitches (39 strikes), 7/1 GO/FO
2. Sheldon McDonald: 1.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 38 pitches (25 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO
3. Joe Zeller: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 11 pitches (8 strikes), 0/1 GO/FO
4. Jasvir Rakkar: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 14 pitches (8 strikes), 1/1 GO/FO
5. Larry Suarez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 21 pitches (10 strikes), 2/1 GO/FO

DAYTONA ERRORS: NONE

DAYTONA CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Yaniel Cabezas: 0-3 CS

ATTENDANCE: 44

WEATHER: Mostly cloudy & breezy with temperatures in the 80's