Cubs Extinguish Blaze, but Dragons Burn Cougars at Fitch Park

Darnell McDonald singled twice, doubled, walked, scored twice, and knocked-in a run, Taiwan Easterling singled, doubled, reached base on an HBP, stole a base, drove-in two runs, and made two outstanding catches, Jeffrey Baez drove-in three runs with a two-run double and a bases-loaded HBP, and Dan Vogelbach crushed a tape-measure two-run home run, leading the Daytona Cubs to a 10-7 victory over the Bakerfield Blaze (Cincinnati Reds Hi-A affiliate) on Field #3, and Starling Peralta celebrated his return to the Cubs organization with 3.1 IP of one-hit shutout ball, Gioskar Amaya singled and tripled, and Dong-Yub Kim singled twice, stole a base, and scored a run, but it wasn't enough as Joe Hudson (Reds 2012 6th round draft pick - Notre Dame) slugged a HR over the LF fence and onto Center Street to lead the Dayton Dragons (Reds Low-A affiliate) to a 3-1 victory over the Kane County Cougars on Field #2, in Cactus League Minor League Camp game action this afternoon at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ. 

The game on Field #2 was extended an extra half-inning so that all of the Cubs pitchers could get their scheduled work.

Drew Carpenter and Darnell McDonald are assigned to the Iowa squad and Rob Whitenack and Austin Kirk are assigned to the Tennessee squad, but the quartet was left behind at Fitch Park as the I-Cubs and Smokies traveled to Goodyear where they played the Reds AA and AAA affiliates. All four saw action in the game on Field #3.

McDonald was a DH and got five Plate Apearances in the first five innings of the game, hitting 2nd in each inning. Carpenter started the game for Daytona, and was followed to the hill by Whitenack and Kirk. All three pitchers threw multiple innings. Whitenack walked four, hit a batter, and threw a WP in 3.2 IP as he continues to have difficulty throwing strikes, but Kirk had five punch-outs in 2.1 IP.

Because all of the Daytona innings were assigned to Iowa and Tennessee pitchers, Starling Peralta and Austin Reed were dropped down to the Kane County game to get their work (both are assigned to the Daytona squad).

Dillon Maples threw a two-inning "sim" game (30 pitches - 15 pitches per inning) versus players from the Boise/Mesa squad on Field #4.

The defensive gems of the day were turned-in by Daytona LF Taiwan Easterling, who made a spectacular diving catch in left-center field, and then another running catch on the warning track.

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

FITCH PARK FIELD #2

KANE COUNTY LINEUP:
1. Oliver Zapata, RF: 1-4 (5-3, 4-3, 6-3, 1B, CS)
2. Gioskar Amaya, 2B: 2-4 (1B, 6-3, K, 3B)
3. Marco Hernandez, DH; 0-4 (F-7, 3-U, 6-3, L-6)
4. Ben Carhart, 1B-3B: 1-4 (K, 1B, 5-3, 5-3)
5. Dong-Yub Kim, LF: 2-4 (1B, 5-4 FC, 1B, 5-3, R, SB, CS)
6a. Taylor Davis, C: 0-3 (F-8, 6-3, F-9)
6b. Justin Marra, C: 0-1 (K)
7a. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 0-1 (BB, 6-3)
7b. Rock Shoulders, 1B: 0-1 (E-3, BB)
8. Shawon Dunston Jr, CF: 1-3 (K, 1B, F-8, BB)
9. Carlos Penalver, SS: 0-3 (BB, L-8, 6-4-3 DP, F-9)

KANE COUNTY PITCHERS:
1. Ian Dickson: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 72 pitches (51 strikes), 7/5 GO/FO
2. Starling Peralta: 3.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 29 pitches (22 strikes), 3/5 GO/FO
3. Austin Reed: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 22 pitches (17 strikes), 1/3 GO/FO

KANE COUNTY ERRORS: 4
1. SS Carlos Penalver - E-6 - throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely
2. P Ian Dickson - E-1 - errant throw on pick-off attempt at 2nd base allowed baseruner to advance to 3rd
3. 2B Gioskar Amaya - E-4 - throwing error allowed batter to reach base safely
4. SS Carlos Penalver - E-6 - fielding error allowed batter reach base safely

KANE COUNTY CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Taylor Davis: 0-2 CS

FITCH PARK FIELD #3

DAYTONA LINEUP:
X. Darnell McDonald, DH #1; 3-4 (6-3, BB, 1B, 1B, 2B, 2 R, RBI)
NOTE: McDonald batted 2nd in the bottom of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings
1a. Tim Saunders, SS: 2-3 (2B, 1B, K, R, SB)
1b. David Bote, 2B: 0-1 (BB, 1-U, RBI)
2a. Zeke DeVoss, CF: 1-4 (K, 1B, 4-6 FC, F-8, 2 R)
2b. Xavier Batista, LF: 0-1 (K)
3. Dan Vogelbach, 1B: 1-5 (K, F-7, HR, K, K, R, 2 RBI)
4a. Chadd Krist, C: 0-3 (4-3, P-3, HBP, K)
4b. Yaniel Cabezas, C: 0-1 (F-9)
5. Anthony Giansanti, 3B: 1-4 (1B, BB, 5-3, L-5, F-9, 2 R)
6. Jeffrey Baez, RF-CF: 1-4 (2B, HBP, K, K, K, R, 3 RBI)
7a. Bijan Rademacher, DH #2: 0-2 (K, BB, K, RBI)
7b. Sergio Burruel, PH: 0-0 (HBP, R, SB)
8a. Taiwan Easterling, LF: 2-2 (1B, HBP, 2B, 2 RBI, SB)
8b. Garrett Schlecht, RF: 0-0 (BB)
9. Wes Darvill, 2B-SS: 1-4 (K, P-6, 6-3, 1B)

DAYTONA PITCHERS:
1. Drew Carpenter: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, 32 pitches (24 strikes), 3/2 GO/FO
2. Rob Whitenack: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R (4 ER), 4 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 1 WP, 1 GIDP, 61 pitches (31 strikes), 4/5 GO/FO
3. Austin Kirk: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 5 K, 43 pitches (29 strikes), 0/2 GO/FO

DAYTONA ERRORS: NONE

ATTENDANCE: 71

WEATHER: Warm & sunny and a bit breezy with temperatures in the 70's