The Cubs took advantage of the series in Oakland to boost their offensive statistics and their standing in the NL Central. They are still behind the Brewers, but the favored Cardinals are now 4th in the division at 8-11 while the Cubs are five over .500 at 11-6. The Dodgers will visit them at Wrigley, having lost two of three to the Cubs in L.A. See below for matchups int he four-game set.

Game 18, Thursday, April 20, 6:40 pm central

LAD: RHP Michael Grove (0-1, 9.00 ERA)

CHC: RHP Jameson Taillon (0-2, 4.50 ERA)

After throwing his first "live" BP a week ago on a backfield, RHRP Codi Heuer (on Cubs MLB 60-day IL - March 2022 TJS) threw a "live" BP in the stadium (Sloan Park) this morning. 

Working one "inning" and facing James Triantos, Ezequiel Pagan, and Ronnier Quintero, Heuer threw 21 pitches (16 strikes - seven swing & miss). 

As is usual with "live" BP at Extended Spring Training, the Cubs hired an umpire to call balls & strikes. However, the hitters did not run the bases, and with one exception (Ed Howard played SS on defense) there were no fielders.  

Geury Lubo (two-run bomb), Cristian More (solo blast), and Anderson Suriel (solo shot - his second dinger in two days) belted back-to-back-to back HR to highlight a four-run 4th inning, Adan Sanchez drilled an RBI single to give the Cubs the lead in the 6th, and Alexis Hernandez singled and scored in the 6th and smacked a solo HR in the 8th, as the Cubs dug themselves out of an early 4-0 hole and rallied to defeat the Athletics 6-4 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Tuesday morning at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Kyle Hendricks and DJ Herz combined to hurl five innings of shutout ball with seven strikeouts, Christopher Paciolla laced an RBI double and a single, and Anderson Suriel belted a solo HR, leading the Cubs to a 3-1 victory over the Rockies in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Monday morning on Dust Storm Field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, east of Scottsdale, AZ.  

The Cubs and their trio of former Dodgers took two out of three from the Dodgers in L.A. They next travel north to take on the 3-13 Oakland Athletics. Cody Bellinger and Patrick Wisdom have each begun to heat up a bit, and along with Seiya Suzuki reinforce the middle of the Cubs' lineup, which was carried by the table setters in the early going. See below for the daily matchups.

Game 15, Monday, April 17, 8:40 pm central

CHC: RHP Hayden Wesneski (0-0, 7.50 ERA)

OAK: LHP  Kyle Muller (0-0, 5.23 ERA)

Luis Rujano hurled three innings of shutout ball for the Cubs and Daniel Tillo tossed three innings of shutout ball for the Giants, as the two teams played to a scoreless tie in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Saturday morning at the San Francisco Giants Papago Park Complex in Phoenix, AZ. 

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

In EXST Cubs roster news, RHP Bailey Reid has been moved up to Hi-A South Bend. 

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

SP Yoscar Pimental fired five innings of shutout ball, SS Jose Fernandez singled twice, scored a run, drove-in another, and collected eight assists including two "highlight-reel" defensive plays to help turn two double plays, Gary Mattis Jr belted an opposite-field solo HR, and Marco Pernalete drilled a two-run single, as the Diamondbacks Black squad defeated the Cubs 5-1 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday afternoon on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.

Ezequiel Pagan smacked a game-tying two-run HR over the RF bullpen and SP Jackson Ferris and three relievers combined to hurl a five-hitter for the Cubs, and SP Lorenzo Encarnacion fired four perfect innings and Cristofer Torin singled twice, stole two bases, and drove-in a run for the Diamondbacks Red squad, as the two teams played to a 2-2 tie in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Thursday afternoon at Sloan Park (it was the EXST Cubs home opener). 

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

The Cubs took two out of three from the Mariners at Wrigley and depart for the West Coast a game over .500, at 6-5. A day off on Thursday will give Dansby Swanson and Seiya Suzuki 24 more hours to be ready for game action before the team begins the six-game road trip. See below for matchups.

Game 12: Friday, April 14, 9:10 pm central

CHC: LHP Justin Steele (1-0, 0.75 ERA)

LAD: RHP Noah Syndergaard (0-1, 6.30 ERA)

Ezequiel Pagan laced an opposite-field RBI double off the LF fence in the 1st inning and an RBI single in the 3rd, Geuri Lubo drilled three singles, scored two runs, and drove-in another, Adan Sanchez singled twice and drove-in a run, and Jefferson Rojas ripped an RBI double and drew a walk, as the Cubs edged the Giants 7-6 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training Opening Day action Monday afternoon at the San Francisco Giants Papago Park Complex in Phoenix, AZ.