Cubs Err on the Side of Defeat at HoHoKam

Anthony Rizzo and Blake Lalli hammered solo home runs, and Matt Garza threw four innings and allowed two runs, but the Giants took advantage of two costly Cub fielding errors and a 9th inning base-running gaffe to edge the Cubs 3-2 in Cactus League action at Dwight Patterson Field at HoHoKam Park in warm & sunny Mesa, AZ, this afternoon.

NOTE: Scroll down for the updated CUBS MINOR LEAGUE CAMP ROSTERS (effective 3/16)

The Cubs scored the first run of the day in the bottom of the 2nd, when Anthony Rizzo clubbed an opposite-field lead-off home run over the left-centerfield fence (just to the left of the “Green Monster” Batter’s Eye) off Giants LHSP Eric Surkamp.

Meanwhile, Cub starter Matt Garza was breezing through the first three innings, before running into trouble in the top of the 4th. Melky Cabrera walked and Pablo Sandoval singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. Garza then threw a ball in the dirt that was blocked nicely by catcher Steve Clevenger, but then Clevenger tried to pick-off Sandoval (who had strayed a bit off 1st base when the ball hit the dirt) and made a wild throw past 1st base and into RF, allowing Cabrera to score from 2nd and Sandoval to move up a base. Sandoval scored later in the inning on an Aubrey Huff RBI single.

LHP Chris Rusin threw two solid shutout & hitless innings (the 6th & 7th), allowing just a walk while striking out two (29 pitches – 18 strikes, 3/1 GO/FO). Rusin will probably be in competition with Jay Jackson for the honor of starting for the Iowa Cubs on PCL Opening Day.

The game remained a 2-1 battle going into the 8th, when Rule 5 RHP Lendy Castillo took the mound for the Cubs. Emmanuel Burriss led-off the inning with a single and immediately stole 2nd base (very bad throw by catcher Blake Lalli), but L. Castillo fanned Brett Pill and Eli Whiteside (both swinging) and got Tyler Graham to tap weakly to the mound. Unfortunately, Castillo (an ex-shortstop of all things) inexplicably tossed a rainbow far over the 1st baseman’s head for an error, allowing Graham to reach base safely and Burriss to score from 2nd.

But the Cubs weren’t finished.

Facing ex-Cub RHP Ramon Ortiz, Blake Lalli lofted a one-out solo moon-shot HR over the RF fence in the bottom of the 8th, and after Trever Miller had an easy top of the 9th, Joe Mather (representing the tying run) grounded a lead-off single down the LF line (an outstanding defensive play by SF LF Justin Christian kept Mather from taking 2nd). Brett Jackson then laid down a textbook sacrifice bunt to the third-baseman that should have advanced Mather into scoring position, but Mather saw that 3rd base was uncovered and tried to take the extra base on the bunt and get to 3rd base with one out. But SS Joaquin Arias outraced Mather to the bag, tagging him out after taking the throw (on the run) from 1B Brett Pill. (I guess this is why taking infield practice matters).

Joe Mather played 3B once again today (all nine innings this time), and handled two chances and a couple of throw-cuts flawlessly.

While the Cubs were playing the Giants at HoHoKam Park, Minor League Cactus League play got underway, with the Cubs minor leaguers (the Iowa and Tennessee squads) playing two games at Fitch Park. (Daytona and Peoria were on the road).

With yesterday’s roster cuts and the arrival of three more players (SS Luis Acosta, OF Jeffrey Baez, and INF Carlos Penalver) from the Dominican Academy, the Cubs Minor League Camp rosters were adjusted prior to the games.

Some of the moves (and corresponding changes) were made to cover for a couple of injuries on the Iowa squad, but what’s most notable in today’s roster transfers is that several of the Cubs young stud prospects who had been assigned to Boise/Mesa earlier in the week were back with the Peoria squad today. Also, LHP Gerardo Concepcion (the Cuban bonus baby signed by the Cubs earlier this month) was moved down to Hi-A Daytona from AA Tennessee.

UPDATED CUBS 2012 MINOR LEAGUE CAMP ROSTERS (3/16)

* bats or throws left
# bats both

IOWA (39)

PITCHERS (21):
Frank Batista
Dallas Beeler
* Jeff Beliveau
Justin Berg (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Alberto Cabrera
Esmailin Caridad
Marco Carrillo
Hung-Wen Chen
* John Gaub
Marcus Hatley
Jordan Latham
Oswaldo Martinez
Trey McNutt
* Brooks Raley
Kevin Rhoderick
* Nate Robertson
* Ryan Rowland-Smith
Brian Schlitter
Ryan Searle
Nick Struck
Casey Weathers

CATCHERS (4):
Juan Apodaca
# Micah Gibbs
# Jason Jaramillo
Mario Mercedes

INFIELDERS (9):
Leugim Barroso (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
# David Macias
Jonathon Mota
* Jake Opitz
Rebel Ridling (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Greg Rohan
Nate Samson
Marquez Smith
Josh Vitters

OUTFIELDERS (5):
Abner Abreu
* Michael Burgess
Evan Crawford
Jae-Hoon Ha
Ty Wright

TENNESSEE (33)

PITCHERS (17):
* Jeffry Antigua
Dan Berlind
David Cales (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Frank Del Valle (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Brent Ebinger
Ricardo Estevez (see NOTE)
* Casey Harman
Ty’Relle Harris
* Eric Jokisch
Matt Loosen
* Andrew McKirahan
Yoannis Negrin
Juan Serrano
* Matt Spencer (ex-OF)
Larry Suarez
Rob Whitenack (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Tony Zych
NOTE: Ricardo Estevez is on the RESTRICTED LIST while serving a 50-game Prohibited Substance suspension, but he is participating in Minor League Camp activities

CATCHERS (4):
Luis Flores (see NOTE)
* Rafael Lopez
Nate Maldonado (player-coach)
Chad Noble
NOTE: Luis Flores is on the RESTRICTED LIST while serving a 50-game Prohibited Substance suspension, but he is participating in Minor League Camp activities

INFIELDERS (8):
* Justin Bour
* Matt Cerda
# Zeke DeVoss
* Richard Jones
Junior Lake
Pierre LePage
Rafael Valdes
* Logan Watkins

OUTFIELDERS (4):
John Andreoli
Eliecer Bonne
Taiwan Easterling
Matt Szczur

DAYTONA (34)

PITCHERS (17):
* Kyler Burke (ex-OF)
Zach Cates
* Gerardo Concepcion
Eduardo Figueroa
Dustin Fitzgerald
P. J. Francescon
Su-Min Jung
* Austin Kirk
Luis Liria
* Jeff Lorick
A. J. Morris
Starling Peralta
Jose Rosario
* Zac Rosscup
Bryce Shafer
Hayden Simpson
Brett Wallach

CATCHERS (3):
* Sergio Burruel
Taylor Davis
Anthony Giansanti (ex-OF)

INFIELDERS (9):
# Arismendy Alcantara
Xavier Batista
* Ryan Cuneo (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Wes Darvill
Dustin Harrington
Paul Hoilman
* Rubi Silva
Elliot Soto
Ronald Torreyes

OUTFIELDERS (5):
* Pin-Chieh Chen
Reggie Golden
* Ben Klafczynski
Mayke Reyes
Blair Springfield

PEORIA (34)

PITCHERS (18):
* Hunter Ackerman
Jose Arias
* Willengton Cruz
Ramon Garcia
Ryan Hartman
Michael Jensen
Pete Levitt
Dillon Maples (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Carlos Martinez
Hector Mayora
* Sheldon McDonald
Tarlandus Mitchell
Roderik Pichardo
* Brian Smith
Charles Thomas (ex3B)
Yao-Lin Wang
Ben Wells
Joe Zeller

CATCHERS (3):
Wilson Contreras (ex-3B)
# Wilfredo Petit
Neftali Rosario

INFIELDERS (8):
Gioskar Amaya
Javier Baez
# Jeimer Candelario
Dustin Geiger
# Marco Hernandez
* Danny Lockhart
# Rock Shoulders
* Dan Vogelbach

OUTFIELDERS (5):
Yasiel Balaguert
* Shawon Dunston, Jr
* Eduardo Gonzalez
Trey Martin
# Oliver Zapata

BOISE/MESA (27)

PITCHERS (12):
Ian Dickson
Ethan Elias (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
David Henrie
* Graham Hicks (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Jin-Young Kim
Felix Pena
James Pugliese
Austin Reed
Colin Richardson
Tayler Scott
Austin Urban (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Scott Weismann

CATCHERS (4):
Yaniel Cabezas (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
* Justin Marra
* Alberto Mineo
Antonio Valerio (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)

INFIELDERS (6):
Luis Acosta
Ryan Durrence
# Brian Inoa
Carlos Penalver
Kenny Socorro
Brad Zapenas

OUTFIELDERS (5):
* Delbis Arcila
Jeffrey Baez
* Trevor Gretzky (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)
Dong-Yub Kim
* Garrett Schlecht (LIMITED ACTIVITY ONLY)

NOT ON FIELD - WHEREABOUTS STILL UNKNOWN (by me):
Gregori Gonzalez, IF-OF (?)
Yohan Gonzalez, P (?)
* Cam Greathouse, P (supposedly will report to EXST)
Alvido Jimenez, P (?)
Arturo Maltos-Garcia, P (2011 TJS rehab)
Amaury Paulino, P (?)
* Nelson Perez, OF