Amaya Walks It Off at Sloan Park

Tyler Payne cracked a solo HR in the bottom of the 2nd inning to put the Cubs on the board, and then Miguel Amaya tripled and scored in the 7th and belted a game-winning walk-off solo HR with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, earning the Tennessee Smokies (Cubs AA affiliate) a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Midland RockHounds (Oakland Athletics AA affiliate) in Cactus League Minor League Camp game action Friday afternoon at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.  

J. J. Schwarz clubbed a game tying solo HR for the RockHounds in the top of the 9th to necessitate Amaya's heroics. 

This was Miguel Amaya's first game action since being sent to Minor League Camp from the Cubs Alternate Training Site in South Bend last week. He was sent to Minor League Camp after Tony Wolters agreed to accept an Outright Assignment to the ATS.  

Veteran MLB LHRP Adam Morgan saw his first game action of 2021, tossing a 1-2-3 twelve-pitch inning with two strikeouts (FB 91-93, SL 81-82, and CH/CV 76-78). The Cubs signed the 31-year old to a minor league contract this past off-season, and while he did receive an NRI to Spring Training, he did not pitch in any MLB Cactus League games. 

But RHRP Robert Stock was the highlight of the day pitching-wise, throwing two shutout innings and striking out four (swinging). He threw 28 pitches (75% strikes!) including 12 FB and 16 SL, and all 12 FB were 99 MPH or better (five at 99, four at 100, and three 101 MPH). Stock was claimed off waivers by the Cubs from the Boston Red Sox last December, and was sent outright to the minors in March.    

INF Luis Vazquez was moved-up to the Tennessee squad from the South Bend squad to replace Brennen Davis (who was hit in the face with a pitch yesterday). 

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):   
TENNESSEE LINEUP: 
1. Zach Davis, DH #1: 1-4 (6-3, 1B, E-4, 6-3)
2a. Jared Young, 1B: 0-2 (BB, F-8, K)  
2b. Raymond Pena, C: 0-1 (E-6)
3a. Andy Weber, 2B: 0-1 (4-3 DP, BB, CS) 
3b. Delvin Zinn, 2B: 0-2 (5-3, 6-3)
4a. Tyler Payne, C: 1-3 (HR, K, 5-3, R, RBI)
4b. Tyler Durna, 1B: 0-1 (K)
5. Christopher Morel, 3B: 0-4 (6-3, F-9, 4-3, 6-3)
6. Miguel Amaya, DH #2: 2-4 (F-8, K, 3B, HR, 2 R, RBI)
7. Christian Donahue, CF: 1-1 (1B, BB, F-9 SF, RBI, CS)
8. Luis Vazquez, SS: 0-3 (6-3, K, 4-3)
9. Connor Myers, RF: 1-2 (1B, HBP, F-9) 
10. Vance Vizcaino, LF: 1-3 (F-8, K, 1B) 

TENNESSEE PITCHERS: 
1. Erich Uelmen: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 6/1 GO/AO, 41 pitches (28 strikes) 
2. Adam Morgan: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/AO, 12 pitches (8 strikes)
3. Robert Stock: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 0/2 GO/AO, 28 pitches (21 strikes) 
4. Bailey Clark: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 GIDP, 2/0 GO/AO, 19 pitches (9 strikes) 
5. Wyatt Short: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1/3 GO/AO, 28 pitches (19 strikes) 

TENNESSEE CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Tyler Payne: 0-1 CS 

ATTENDANCE: N/A 

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 80's 

Arizona 
Scoring 
Service 

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