Angel 8th Inning Explosion Dooms Cubs at Diablo

Angels 2021 9th round draft pick RHP Braden Olthoff hurled three innings of shutout ball with five strikeouts and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter with 15 strikeouts, and Jordyn Adams (Angels 2018 1st round pick) and Arol Vera (Angels 2019 $2M IFA signing) belted back-to-back RBI triples to drive-in the first two runs, Jeremiah Jackson (Angels 2018 2nd round pick) lofted a sacrifice fly to plate another run, and Werner Blakely (Angels 2020 4th round pick) slugged a two-run HR to finish the scoring, as the Angels exploded for five runs in the bottom of the 8th and blanked the Cubs 5-0 in AZ Instructional League game action Monday afternoon on Field #3 at the Diablo Stadium complex in Tempe, AZ. 

In addition to his RBI triple, Jordyn Adams also walked three times. 

Cubs pitchers tossed seven innings of one-hit shutout ball (albeit while issuing six walks) before the Angels' five-run eruption in the bottom of the 8th.   

Catcher Casey Opitz (Cubs 2021 8th round draft pick) threw-out all three runners who tried to steal against him. 

Even though the Angels were ahead 5-0 at home after 8-1/2 innings of play, the bottom of the 9th was played so that all of the Cubs pitchers who were scheduled to throw in the game could get their work. 

The AZIL Cubs have now been held scoreless two games in a row. 

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

CUBS LINEUP:
1. Christian Franklin, LF: 1-3 (1B, 4-3, L-6)
2. Ezequiel Pagan, RF: 0-2 (K, HBP, L-8, PO) 
3. Kevin Alcantara, CF: 0-3 (6-3, K, K) 
4. Miguel Fabrizio, 1B: 0-3 (K, 6-3, K)
5. Ronnier Quintero, DH #1: 0-3 (K, K, ,K)
6. Matt Mervis, DH #2: 1-3 (K, K, 1B)
7. Miguel Pabon, 3B: 1-3 (K, 1B, 4-3) 
8. Christian Olivo, SS: 1-3 (1B, K, K)
9. Casey Opitz, C: 0-3 (F-8, K, 4-3)
10. Liam Spence, 2B: 0-3 (F-9, F-8, K) 

CUBS PITCHERS: 
1. Michael McAvene: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 27 pitches (15 strikes)
2. Daniel Palencia: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K, 0/1 GO/AO, 1 BALK, 35 pitches (20 strikes)
3. Burl Carraway: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/AO, 13 pitches (8 strikes) 
4. Dominic Hambley: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP, 3/0 GO/AO, 17 pitches (7 strikes)
5. Chase Watkins: 3.0 IP, 5 H, 5 R (5 ER), 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR, 2/2 GO/AO, 42 pitches (33 strikes) 
6. Didier Vargas: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/AO, 22 pitches (12 strikes) 

CUBS ERRORS: NONE 

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Casey Opitz: 3-3 CS 

ATTENDANCE: 16 

WEATHER: Partly cloudy and a bit breezy with temperatures in the 80's  

Arizona 
Scoring 
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