EXST Cubs

Wilson Contreras lined a two-run double into the left-field corner to spark a four-run 4th inning, and four pitchers combined to throw a six-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts, as the EXST Cubs whitewashed the EXST Athletics 8-0 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Connie Mack Field at the Papago Park Sports Complex in Phoenix.

Max Kwan laced a line-drive single through a drawn-in infield to score Reggie Golden from 3rd base, as EXST Cubs Squad “A” rallied for a run in the bottom of the 9th to tie EXST Cubs Squad “B” 6-6 in an Extended Spring Training intra-squad game played this morning at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa.

Eduardo Gonzalez capped a four-run 2nd inning with a three-run inside-the-park HR, leading one squad of EXST Cubs to a 4-2 victory over one squad of EXST Rockies on Field #3, while four pitchers combined to throw a four-hitter as the other squad of EXST Rockies defeated the other squad of EXST Cubs 5-1 on Field #2, in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training doubleheader played this morning at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.

The games were played simultaneously on adjacent fields, and both games were seven-inning affairs.

Dustin Geiger slugged a grand slam HR to cap a five-run 2nd inning as one squad of EXST Cubs drilled one squad of EXST Rockies 10-4 on Red Mountain Field, but the other squad of Rockies pounded out 17 hits (including three triples, two doubles, and a three-run HR) and thumped the other squad of Cubs 12-1 on Dust Storm Field, in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training Memorial Day doubleheader played this morning at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick east of Scottsdale, AZ.

J. C. Rodriguez knocked-in six runs with an RBI single, a two-run double, and a three-run home run, leading the EXST Angels to a 10-2 thrashing of the EXST Cubs in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Diablo Park Field #3 in Tempe, AZ.

The game was extended an extra couple of innings so that all of the pitchers who were due to throw today could get their scheduled work.

The EXST Cubs rallied for three runs in the bottom of the 9th to tie the EXST Diamondbacks 6-6, in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training game played this morning at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa, AZ.

The Cubs did have a chance to win the game, but Reggie Golden popped out to the first-baseman to end the bottom of the 9th, leaving the potential winning run stranded at 3rd base.

Tennessee OF (and Cubs 2009 1st round draft pick and #1 position player prospect) Brett Jackson saw his first game action since going on the Smokies DL with a finger injury on May 12th, getting four plate appearances as a DH, one in each of the first four innings.

Yaniel Cabezas had four hits (three doubles and a single), scored three runs, and drove-in two more, Jesus Morelli drove-in four runs with two singles and a home run, and four pitchers combined to strike out 14, as a split squad of EXST Cubs drubbed the EXST Angels 13-5 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Fitch Park Field #2 in Mesa.

On an injury rehab assignment in Mesa, AZ, Cubs catcher Geovany Soto went hitless in five plate appearances this morning in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training game played at Fitch Park.

Soto, who was seeing his first game action in two weeks after suffering a groin strain in a game on May 10th, was the starting catcher and got five at bats in the game played on Field #2 (there was another game played simultaneously on Field #3), batting third in each of the first five innings. He looked a bit rusty at the plate, bouncing out 5-3 in the 1st inning, popping out to the first-baseman in foul territory in the 2nd, flying out to the warning track in CF in the 3rd, getting called out on strikes in the 4th, and striking out swinging in the bottom of the 5th. Also two Rockies base-runners stole 2nd base while Soto was behind the plate.

As far as the games were concerned, one squad of EXST Cubs and one squad of EXST Rockies played to a 1-1 tie on Field #2, while the other squad of Rockies defeated the other squad of Cubs 5-2 on Field #3.

The games were played simultaneously on adjacent fields, and both games were seven-inning affairs.

The EXST Athletics banged-out four doubles, a triple, and a home run, and coasted to a 7-1 victory over the EXST Cubs in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa this morning.

Brian Inoa hit for the cycle and Dustin Geiger ripped two RBI doubles, leading a split squad of EXST Cubs to a 6-5 victory over the EXST Diamondbacks in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Whirlwind Field at Salt River Fields at the Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ.

Justin Hilt and Wagner Mateo homered for the Diamondbacks.

The game was extended an extra inning to allow all of the pitchers who were due to throw today to get their scheduled work.

Dong-Yub Kim and Brandon May smacked back-to-back two out RBI doubles to key a two-run 1st inning that propelled one squad of EXST Cubs to a 5-2 victory over one squad of EXST Rockies on Red Mountain Field, while Yao-Lin Wang, Jin-Young Kim, and Starling Peralta combined to throw a three-hit shutout as the other squad of Cubs blanked the other squad of Rockies 3-0 on Dust Storm Field, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training doubleheader action at Salt River Fields at the Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale this morning.

The games were played simultaneously, and both games were seven-inning affairs.

Tennessee Smokies OF Ty Wright (DL rehab assignment) had three hits (two singles and a double) in his first game action since suffering a sprained ankle in a Southern League game on April 17th, but the EXST Giants swept a doubleheader from the EXST Cubs by scores of 7-5 and 5-3 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.

The games were played simultaneously on adjacent fields, and both games were seven-inning affairs.

Scott Kazmir and Alexander Burkard combined to throw a four-hit shutout, leading the EXST Angels to an 8-0 whitewashing of an EXST Cubs split squad in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action at Diablo Park Field #3 in Tempe this morning.

Kazmir has been on the Los Angeles Angels 15-DL with "back tightness" since April 9th, but he sure looked healthy today, throwing 6.2 IP of one-hit shutout ball (102 pitches – 62 strikes, 10/6 GO/FO), and not allowing his first hit until there was one out in the top of the 6th inning (opposite-field double lined into the RF corner by Dustin Geiger). Kazmir walked three and struck out three during the course of his outing, inducing one GIDP. Kazmir consistently threw his fastball at 91-92 MPH, and kept the Cubs youngsters off-balance with an assortment of change-ups and breaking balls.

Jesus Morelli reached base five times on a double, three singles, and a walk, scored twice, and drove-in a run, and Larry Suarez came out of the bullpen to throw 3.1 IP of one hit ball with seven strikeouts, as the EXST Cubs defeated the EXST Athletics 8-6 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Connie Mack Field at the Papago Park Sports Complex in Phoenix.

Jesus Morelli lined an RBI single to left to knock-in the tying run and Johan DeJesus roped a two-run double off the LF fence to plate the go-ahead runs, as a split squad of EXST Cubs rallied with five runs in the bottom of the 8th to defeat the EXST Angels 6-3 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa this morning.