Rafael Mejia

Fabian Pertuz belted a solo HR and an RBI single, Rafael Mejia drilled a solo HR and a double, Edmond Americaan smacked an RBI triple and scored a run, Yonathan Perlaza singled twice, walked, and scored a run, and Clayton Daniel roped a two-run single, in Cubs Extended Spring Training intrasquad game action Tuesday morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex on John Arguello Way in Mesa, AZ.   

The game was pre-planned as a seven-inning contest. 

Pertuz was signed by the Cubs ($300K signing bonus) as a 16-year old shortstop in August 2017 out of Orlando Cabrera's Prospect Sport baseball academy in Colombia, and he attended both AZ Instructs post-2017 and Extended Spring Training in 2018 and appeared to be on a fast track to bypass the DSL and go directly to the AZL, only to be sent to the DSL last May after struggling both offensively and defensively in EXST game action. Despite the (slight) setback last year, Pertuz should be one of the Cubs top prospects in the AZL in 2019. 

Here is the box score from today's game:  

Jonathan Soto (RBI single) and Abraham Rodriguez (two-run double) drilled consecutive two-out run-scoring hits in the top of the 3rd inning, Josue Huma (RBI double) and Rafael Mejia (sacrifice fly) knocked-in runs in a three-run 4th (the other run scored on a WP), and Luis Diaz singled, doubled, reached base on an HBP, and scored a run, leading the Cubs to a 7-4 victory over the Angels in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday morning on Field #3 at the Diablo Stadium Complex in Tempe, AZ. 

The game was called after eight innings of play. 

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

Rafael Mejia belted a three-run HR to cap a five-run 4th and drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 8th to force-in what proved to be the winning run, Luis Diaz drilled an RBI double to put the Cubs on the board in the bottom of the 1st and later walked twice and scored a run, and Luis Vazquez singled twice and scored a run, helping the Cubs edge the Diamondbacks 8-7 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday morning on Field #6 on John Arguello Way at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.   

RHPs Fernando Calderon, Yan de la Cruz, Jose M. Gonzalez, Junior Marte, and Benjamin Rodriguez (all five recent arrivals from the Cubs Dominican Academy) threw "live" BP on Field #4 prior to the start of the Cactus League game on Field #6. Marte has pitched in both the AZL and the Northwest League in prior seasons (2015-17), but the other four are making their U. S. debut this year at Extended Spring Training.

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

LHSP Bryan Hudson hurled five innings of one-hit shutout ball with six strikeouts, Jacob Hannemann drove-in three runs with a squeeze-bunt and a two-run line-drive single, and Chris Dominguez doubled twice and scored two runs, helping the Cubs whitewash the Diamondbacks 6-0 on Quail Field, and Rafael Mejia belted a three-run HR, Aramis Ademan singled, tripled, and scored a run, and six pitchers combined to toss a five-hitter, as the Cubs edged the Diamondbacks 3-2 on Whirlwind Field, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training doubleheader action Tuesday morning at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ. 

Both games were pre-planned as seven-inning affairs. 

Bryan Hudson has thrown eleven innings over the course of his first two Cactus League Extended Spring Training starts, allowing no runs on three hits and one walk, with twelve strikeouts and a 15/3 GO/AO. 

Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL - right shoulder) was a DH in the game on Whirlwind Field, going 1-5 (1B, P-6, F-8, 6-3, K) while batting once in each of the first five innings.  

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

Javier Godard doubled, singled twice, scored twice, and drove-in the winning run with a squeeze bunt, as the Athletics rallied for three runs in the bottom of the 8th and hung-on to edge the Cubs 6-5 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ. 

The Cub cause was aided by Vimael Machin (drilled two singles and a triple, scored a run, and knocked-in another), Rafael Mejia (belted an RBI double, singled, walked, and stole a base), and Michael Foster (singled twice, walked, stole a base, scored a run, drove-in a run, and threw out an A's hitter 7-4 trying to stretch a single into a double), but the bullpen could not hold the lead for the second day in a row. 

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

Sam McDonnell drilled two RBI singles including one that drove-in the tying run, as the Angels rallied for two runs in the bottom of the 9th to upend the Cubs 5-4 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, AZ. 

Rafael Mejia belted a two-run double and a single, scored a run, and knocked-in a third run with a 6-3 GO and Alberto Mineo tripled, walked twice, and scored a run for the Cubs in a losing cause.

RHSP Aaron Brooks (on Cubs MLB 15-day DL since Spring Training with a hip contusion) made a rehab start for the Cubs and tossed three shutout innings (32 pitches), allowing a lead-off single in the bottom of the 1st (erased on a CS) before easily retiring the next eight in a row (3-U, K, K, L-8, P-3, 4-3, 1-3, K). A healthy Brooks (and hopefully a healthy Pierce Johnson and a healthy Dallas Beeler) should help upgrade the Iowa starting rotation once the trio have completed their rehab work at EXST within the next week or two.

LHRP Jack Leathersich (July 2015 TJS) continued his EXST game rehab work, following Brooks to the hill and hurling a scoreless inning (1B, K, F-7, 6-3). The ex-NYM lefthander who was claimed by the Cubs off waivers last November looked a lot better today than he did in his first rehab outing last week, needing 15 pitches (11 strikes) to record three outs. (He struggled to throw strikes and could not complete his assigned inning in his previous outing). The Cubs are hoping Leathersich can rehab successfully from the TJS and offer some lefty relief help down the stretch drive, and today's outing certainly provides some reason for optimism.

6'8 LHP Bryan Hudson (Cubs 2015 3rd round draft pick - Alton HS - Alton, IL) got "piggy-back" duty today, following Brooks and Leathersich to the mound. Like Dylan Cease yesterday, Hudson was supposed to stretch-out a bit today and throw five innings and/or about 75 pitches (whichever came first), but he hit 71 pitches after only 2.0 IP, and so I guess he'll have to try and make it through five innings next time out. The 19-year old lefthander allowed three runs on six hits (two doubles and four singles) and four walks (and a WP) and was lucky to surrender only three runs given the ten baserunners he allowed, but he benefited from four well-timed strikeouts (his stuff wasn't all bad, he just couldn't command it) and an Angel batter thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple. This was definitely Hudson's worst outing as a pro.  

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