Pena Punishes Pineiro As Giants Double Their Pleasure at Riverview Park

Julio Pena smacked a three-run home run off Joel Pineiro and RHP Chris Johnson threw four innings of one-run ball and struck out six (including Jorge Soler twice), leading the Giants to a 6-2 victory over the Cubs on Field #6, and Will Callaway, Brad Moss, and Fernando Pujadas stroked RBI doubles as the Giants edged the Cubs 6-5 on Field #5, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training split-squad doubleheader action this morning at the Under Armour Performance Center at Riverview Park in Mesa, AZ.  

Jeffrey Baez laced an RBI triple and a double and scored a run and RHP Trevor Clifton threw 2.2 IP of shutout relief with five strikeouts in a losing cause for the Cubs on Field #5, and Mark Malave accounted for both Cub runs on Field #6 with an RBI double and an RBI single.

Jorge Soler (hamstring rehab) played RF for seven innings on Field #6 and batted six times, once in each of the first six innings, He struck out (swinging) on a 1-2 pitch in the bottom of the 1st, was called out on strikes on a 1-2 pitch in the 2nd, bounced-out 6-3 in the 3rd, roped a line-drive single to left (and then stole 2nd base!) in the 4th, reached base on an HBP (he was hit on the right inner elbow) in the 5th (his 3rd HBP in five EXST games this week), and then he struck out (swinging) on a pitch over his head in his final AB in the 6th.

While he is still a bit rusty at the plate (he is hitting only 182/269/227 with no walks, five strikeouts, three HBP, and four hits--three singles and a double--in 26 EXST PA), he is running and playing outfield defense without any apparent difficulty, and so today could very well be the end of his EXST rehab. So don't be surprised if he is back with AA Tennessee by Monday. 

35-year old veteran MLB RHP Joel Pineiro was the starting pitcher for the Cubs on Field #6, his fifth EXST outing since signing with the Cubs on March 30th. Pineiro worked five innings (62 pitches), allowing three runs (all earned) on five hits (three singles, a double, and the Pena three-run HR), and two walks. He struck out only one, but had a 10/4 GO/FO.

THE PITCHING LINES FROM JOEL PINEIRO'S FIVE 2014 EXST OUTINGS: 
4/12 - 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, 1 WP, 8/0 GO/FO, 64 pitches (48 strikes)
4/17 - 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1 PO, 7/2 GO/FO, 66 pitches (43 strikes)
4/22 - 4.2 IP, 9 H, 7 R (7 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 3/3 GO/FO, 76 pitches (51 strikes)
4/28 - 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 7 K, 1 WP, 4/4 GO/FO, 60 pitches (45 strikes) 
5/3   - 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 2 GIDP, 10/4 GO/FO, 62 pitches (42 strikes)  
TOTAL: 22.2 IP, 27 H, 18 R (16 ER), 6 BB, 17 K, 1 HR, 3 WP, 2 GIDP, 32/13 GO/FO, 70% strikes, 6.35 ERA, 1.46 WHIP

Both games were stopped by mutual-agreement after 7-1/2 innings.

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games (Cubs players only): FIELD #6:

CUBS SQUAD "A" LINEUP:
X. Jorge Soler, RF: 1-5 (K, K, 6-3, 1B, HBP, K, SB)
NOTE: Soler batted 3rd in the bottom of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th innings
1. Gleyber Torres, SS: 0-3 (K, K, BB, 4-3)
2. Varonex Cuevas, 2B: 1-3 (6-3, K, 2B)
3. Tyler Alamo, 1B: 0-2 (K, L-3, BB)
4. Shamil Ubiera, CF: 0-3 (6-3, 5-3, F-8)
5. Roney Alcala, 3B: 1-2 (1B, K, BB, R)
6. Arnaldo Calero, LF: 1-3 (P-3 DP, 1B, 5-3)
7a. Eufran Vargas, DH: 1-2 (1B, BB, 6-3, R)  
7b. Kevin Brown, RF: NO AB
8. Mark Malave, C: 2-3 (2B, K, 1B, 2 RBI)

CUBS SQUAD "A" PITCHERS:
1. Joel Pineiro: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 2 GIDP, 10/4 GO/FO, 62 pitches (42 strikes)
2. Jasvir Rakkar: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 3/3 GO/FO, 26 pitches (19 strikes)
3. Hector Perez: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 0/1 GO/FO, 29 pitches (16 strikes)

CUBS SQUAD "A" ERRORS: NONE

FIELD #5:

CUBS SQUAD "B" LINEUP:
1. Jeffrey Baez, CF: 2-4 (6-3, 2B, 3B, P-5, R, RBI)
2. Justin Marra, C: 1-3 (K, BB, 2B, K, RBI)
3. Oliver Zapata, LF: 1-3 (BB, 3-U DP, P-4, 3B, SB)
4. Alberto Mineo, DH: 0-4 (K, L-1, 3-U, F-7)
5. Rony Rodriguez, 1B: 1-2 (1B, F-8, BB, 2 R, SB)
6. Elliot Soto, SS: 0-3 (4-3, F-9, 1-3)
7. Ricardo Marcano, RF: 0-2 (4-3, F-8, BB, R, RBI)
8. Adonis Paula, 3B: 1-3 (K, 6-3, 1B, RBI)
9. Bryant Flete, 2B: 0-2 (K, BB, K, R)

CUBS SQUAD "B" PITCHERS:
1. Jeferson Mejia: 1.1 IP, 5 H, 5 R (5 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 0/2 GO/FO, 32 pitches (19 strikes)
2. Trevor Clifton: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 3 WP, 2/1 GO/FO, 43 pitches (25 strikes)
3. Trey Lang: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 0/2 GO/FO, 11 pitches (6 strikes)
4. Corbin Hoffner: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 6/0 GO/FO, 15 pitches (12 strikes)
5. Carlos Llano: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 0/2 GO/FO, 17 pitches (9 strikes)

CUBS SQUAD "B" ERRORS: 1
CF Jeffrey Baez - E-8 (throwing error after single to CF allowed runner to score from 3rd base)

ATTENDANCE: 10

WEATHER: Sunny & breezy with temperatures in the 90's