Christian Olivo

Cristian Hernandez blasted an opposite-field two-run HR over the RF fence in the third, singled and scored in the sixth, and drilled an RBI single in the eighth, Alejandro Rivero blooped an RBI double and scored in the second and belted an opposite-field two-run triple and scored in the fifth, Raino Coran hammered an RBI double into the LF corner and scored in the fourth and crushed a lead-off double off the LF fence and scored in the eighth, Brayan Altuve roped an RBI double and scored in the second and singled and scored in the fourth, Christian Olivo singled, stole a base, and scored a run in the third and cracked an RBI single in the fourth, and Dilan Granadillo laced two RBI singles, leading an 18-hit attack as the Cubs uploaded a 15-4 pasting of the Athletics in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Monday morning on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.    

Nelson Beltran slugged a two-run HR in the bottom of the third and made a spectacular HR saving catch by leaping high and reaching over the LF fence to take back what would have been a Frank Hernandez four-bagger in the top of the seventh, and Lester Madden and Ramon Martinez ripped RBI doubles for the A's in a losing couse.  

The game was called after eight innings of play. 

With today's HR, Cristian Hernandez has now hit six home runs in 23 EXST games, including four in 19 Cactus League EXST games, and two in four EXST intrasquad games. Javier Baez holds the all-time EXST Cubs HR record. He hit eight in 26 Cactus League EXST games 2012. 

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

Moises Ballesteros blasted an opposite-field solo HR over the LF fence leading off the bottom of the second inning (his second HR in two days), Raino Coran crushed a mammoth solo HR just to the left of the CF Batter's Eye leading off the bottom of the third and walked and scored in the fifth, Christian Olivo singled twice, stole three bases, scored a run, and drove-in another, Anderson Suriel blooped an RBI double in the second and singled, stole a base, and scored a run in the fifth, SP Marino Santy hurled three innings of one-hit / one-run ball, and Alfredo Zarraga struck out the side 1-2-3 to pick-up the save, as the Cubs cruised past the Athletics 6-3 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.   

Cristian Hernandez belted a double into the right-centerfield alley his first time up, but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. He struck out (swinging) in his other two PA. 

The game was pre-planned as an eight-inning contest. 

The Cubs are now 10-8-2 through their first twenty Cactus League EXST games, and contrary to what you may read elsewhere on the internet, EXST games - ARE - real (they're just not official and there are some goofy rules variances), the games - ARE - televised (albeit closed circuit to the Cubs Player Development Department), the Cubs - DO - keep game stats internally just like they do at Myrtle Beach, South Bend, Tennessee, and Iowa (they just don't release them to the media), and the players really - ARE - trying to win (just listen to the players on the bench howling back & forth throughout the game... so much so that the Giants players who were not in the game last Tuesday at Papago Park were kicked out of the ballpark by the home plate umpire for arguing every single ball / strike call!).   

In EXST roster news, LHRP C. D. Pelham has completed his EXST rehab and has rejoined AA Tennessee. 

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

Christian Olivo belted a two-run double and Cristian Hernandez collected an RBI on a bases-loaded walk for the Cubs, and SP Wander Guante hurled four innings of two-hit shutout ball with seven strikeouts (no walks) for the Athletics, as the two teams played to a 3-3 tie in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Saturday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

The game was originally scheduled to be played at Sloan Park, but a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) event was held in the stadium simultaneous with the Cubs game, so the ball game was moved across the street. 

Pedro Ramirez returned to the Cubs lineup after being hit in the helmet by a pitch in an intrasquad game on Wednesday, so he apparently passed the concussion protocol with flying colors. 

In other EXST news, INF Andrelton Simmons has completed his EXST rehab and has been assigned to AAA Iowa on an official Article XIX-C Minor League Rehab Assignment (a maximum of 20 days because he is a position player, and the player can call it off at any time). Simmons appeared to be 100% at the plate and on the bases in Mesa, and while he hasn't played much shorstop in Cactus League EXST games, he did take grounders for 20 minutes on Field #1 on Wednesday and made all of the throws a shortstop would need to make in a game. How his shoulder felt afterward, I don't know. 

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

Brayan Altuve laced three singles, scored two runs, and drove-in another, Christian Olivo drilled an RBI double and a single, Jake Slaughter belted a solo HR, and Luke Farrell and four relievers combined to toss a two-hit shutout with 16 strikeouts, as the Cubs blanked the Diamondbacks Black squad 6-0 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Tuesday morning on Whirlwind Field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick east of Scottsdale, AZ. 

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

Oakland Athletics 2021 1st round draft pick Zack Gelof smacked a two-run HR and walked twice, Junior Perez (acquired from SD as the PTBNL in Jorge Mateo trade in 2020) lashed a two-run double off the top of the LF fence, walked, and scored a run, and Robert Puason (A's 2019 IFA signing - $5M bonus) ripped a triple, stole a base, and scored two runs, leading the A's to an 8-2 victory over the Cubs in AZ Instructional League game action Saturday morning on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ. 

A's pitchers limited the Cubs to just three hits and retired the last 14 Cubs hitters (including seven by strikeout). 

The Cubs committed five errors in the field and Cubs pitchers issued nine walks.   

Christian Olivo tripled and scored in the third and Moises Ballesteros doubled and scored in the fifth to account for the two Cub runs.   

The Cub loss ended their modest three-game winning streak and dropped their AZIL record to 4-8-1.  

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

Cubs 2021 2nd round draft pick James Triantos clobbered a line-drive solo HR over the LF fence and into the backyard of a house on the north-side of 8th Street, walked, and stole a base, Cubs 2021 17th round draft pick Christian Olivo belted two doubles, scored a run, and drove-in another, Yeison Santana (acquired from the Padres in the Darvish deal) slammed a double high off the LF fence, singled, stole a base, and scored a run, Ronnier Quintero (Cubs #1 IFA signing in 2019) laced an RBI single, walked twice, and scored a run, Cubs 2021 7th round draft pick Parker Chavers hammered a double high off the right-centerfield fence, drew a walk, and made a spectacular diving catch in CF, Cubs 2021 10th round draft pick Peter Matt drilled a two-run single, SP Tyler Schlaffer hurled four innings of two-hit shutout ball with six strikeouts, and Cubs 2021 3rd round draft pick (and Chris Sale look-a-like) LHP Drew Gray struck out eight in relief (all eight outs he recorded were strikeouts), as the Cubs blanked the Athletics 5-0 in AZ Instructional League game action Wednesday afternoon on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.
      
Here is the abridged box score frrom the game (Cubs players only):