Cubs Hitters Go Old School Clutch All Day Long at Instructs

Jared Young singled twice, stole a base, scored a run, and drove-in a run with a sacrifice fly, and Alfonso Rivas (RBI single), Matt Mervis (two-out RBI double), Cam Balego (RBI double), Christopher Morel (RBI triple), and Rafael Morel (game-tying two-out two-run single) collected run-scoring hits for the Cubs, and Armani Smith belted a booming three-run home run and Tyler Fitzgerald drilled a line-drive solo shot for the Giants, as the two teams played to a 7-7 tie in AZ Instructional League game action Saturday afternoon at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 

RHP Manuel Rodriguez (on Cubs MLB 60-day IL) made his first game appearance since leaving a Cactus League Spring Training game last March with a right biceps strain, throwing one inning (10 pitches) and allowing one hit and one run (Fitzgerald's solo HR). He struck out one (swinging) and retired the other two batters on a 4-3 GO and F-8 FO.    

INF Kevin Made (July 2019 IFA - Dominican Republic - $1.5M signing bonus) made his pro game debut and got a hit in his first pro AB, reaching base on a two-out bloop single that fell in front of a diving Giants RF in the bottom of the 7th inning. Made would later score one of the two runs driven-in by Rafael Morel.  

You may have noticed that the Cubs have been playing their infielders all around the infield in AZIL games (and in instructs pre-game and Camp Day infield practice as well), and that's because with the extensive use of shifting today in MLB, infielders need to know the mechanics of all three positions (2B, 3B, and SS) as they move forward, even if the player might profile primarily at one infield position in particular.     
The game was called after eight innings of play. 

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

CUBS LINEUP: 
1a. Alfonso Rivas, DH: 1-2 (BB, 1B, K, RBI)
1b. Fabian Pertuz, PH-DH: 0-2 (3-U, K) 
2a. Ed Howard IV, SS: 1-3 (1-3, 6-3, 1B, R)
2b. Andy Weber, SS: 0-2 (L-7, 6-3)
3a. Bryce Windham, C: 0-2 (4-3, 3-1)
3b. Cam Balego, C: 1-2 (2B, F-8, BB, R, RBI)
4a. Christopher Morel, 2B: 1-3 (K, F-8, 3B, R, RBI)
4b. Kevin Made, 2B: 1-1 (1B, R) 
4c. Luis Vazquez, PH: 0-1 (FC) 
5a. Jared Young, LF: 2-2 (1B, 1B, F-8 SF, R, RBI, SB)
5b. Jacob Wetzel, LF: 0-1 (K+WP, BB, R)
6a. Chase Strumpf, 3B: 0-3 (6-3, P-3, K)
6b. Rafael Morel, 3B: 1-2 (1B, 6-4 FC, 2 RBI)
7a. Nelson Velazquez, CF: 0-2 (5-3, K)
7b. Edmond Americaan, CF: 0-1 (K, BB) 
8. Matt Mervis, 1B: 1-3 (3-1, 2B, L-3, BB, RBI)
9a. Yohendrick Pinango, RF: 0-2 (E-6, 6-3, R)
9b. Jordan Nwogu, RF: 0-1 (BB, K)

CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Manuel Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1/1 GO/AO, 10 pitches (8 strikes) 
2. Manuel Espinoza: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R (4 ER), 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 2/2 GO/AO, 46 pitches (30 strikes)   
3. Jose Miguel Gonzalez: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 5 BB, 4 K, 2 WP, 1 GIDP, 1/0 GO/AO, 50 pitches (19 strikes) 
4. Eduarniel Nunez: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 1 GIDP, 3/0 GO/AO, 21 pitches (12 strikes) 

CUBS ERRORS: NONE 

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Bryce Windham: 1-2 CS 

ATTENDANCE: 0 

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 90's 

Arizona 
Scoring
Service 

"Just because it isn't official doesn't mean it didn't happen"