Marte the Master of Destruction at Fitch Park

Miguel Marte and Jensi Peralta clubbed back-to-back home runs to highlight a six-run 9th, as the Athletics rallied to sting the Cubs 7-5 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Fitch Park Field #3 in Mesa, AZ.

The 6'3 230 Marte belted two home runs in the game, a solo blast leading off the top of the 4th to give the A's a 1-0 lead, and then a grand slam in the 9th that turned a 5-2 deficit into a 6-5 lead.

Rob Whitenack (June 2011 TJS rehab) got the start for the Cubs and retired the first nine men he faced (the first seven on strikeouts, including Manny Ramirez). He did allow a solo HR, but otherwise was perfect through his four innings of work (49 pitches). In his seven EXST games, Whitenack has allowed just two runs (both earned), 12 hits, and two walks, with 17 strikeouts, in 17.0 IP (1.06 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, .200 Opp BA). A 6'5 23-year old right-hander, Whitenack was the Cubs 8th round draft pick out of SUNY - Old Westbury in 2009, and was probably the Cubs #2 starting pitcher prospect when he went down with the elbow injury last June. Hopefully he can eventually get back to where he was before the TJS.

RHP Arturo Maltos-Garcia (rehabbing from July 2011 TJS - was selected by the Cubs in the 30th round of the 2010 Rule 4 Draft out of Lamar CC) threw a hitless 5th inning, and then James Pugliese followed with three innings of one-hit shutout ball (retiring the first eight men he faced before allowing a single with two outs in the 8th), as the Cubs took a collective two-hitter (and 5-1 lead) into the 9th. (Pugliese now has a 0.95 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP with 6/16 BB/K in 18.2 IP at EXST).

But closer Roderik Pichardo, who had been "money" in his eight previous EXST appearances--0.00 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, .156 Opp BA, allowing no runs and just five hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in 11.1 IP--had an Outing from Hell in the top of the 9th, allowing six runs on four hits (including a double and two home runs) and three walks in just 1/3 of an inning (the inning was stopped--"ROLL IT!"--with only one out), as the A's took a 7-5 lead (the eventual final score).

After going 0-2 with two walks as a DH yesterday, Micah Gibbs continued his EXST rehab today, catching for five innings before moving to DH. He batted a total of six times in today's game, going 1-5 with a single and a walk. He also scored a run in the Cubs four-run 4th, and was the catcher for Whitenack's sterling four-inning performance.

The Defensive Play of the Game was a back-handed diving catch by SS Javier Baez in LF foul territory near the bullpen, one of the best catches I've ever eeen at Fitch Park. He had to run a mile just to get there, and then somehow was able to locate the ball and catch it.

In EXST Cubs roster news, C-IF-OF Anthony Giansanti has been moved up to Peoria. Giansanti was hitting 222/404/417 in 17 EXST games (47 PA), with one double and three triples. He also had displayed an eagle-eye at the plate (10/5 BB/K).

Giansanti has spent the 2012 season to date at Fitch Park (first at Minor League Camp, then at Extended Spring Training) learning to be a catcher. Signed by the Cubs as a Non-Drafted Free-Agent out of Siena College in 2010, Giansanti was already a versatile fellow (having played 3B-2B-1B-LF-CF-RF in the minors leagues 2010-11), but adding catcher to his resume should only increase his value as a "supersub."

The 23-year old Giansanti is a below-average hitter but with decent power (11 HR at Peoria in 2010) and one of the best outfield arms in the Cubs system (24 OF assists in 2011), and he has shown the arm off from behind the plate as well, nailing 36% of opposing base-stealers in EXST games. He played only catcher and DH in games until just recently, but got a start in RF on Thursday and at 3B on Friday, apparently in preparation for the move up to Peoria.

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

CUBS LINEUP:
X. Micah Gibbs, C-DH: 1-6 (F-8, 1B, F-8, 4-3, BB, 4-3, R)
NOTE: Gibbs batted six times, once in the 1st, 4th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th
1a. Shawon Dunston Jr, CF: 1-2 (HBP, 1B, 6-3, R, RBI, PO)
1b. Carlos Penalver, SS: 1-1 (1B)
2a. Javier Baez, SS: 1-3 (K, 2B, P-4, R, RBI)
2b. Kevin Encarnacion, CF: NO AB
2c. Wilfredo Petit, PH: 0-1 (F-8)
3. Xavier Batista, LF-RF: 0-3 (5-3, 4-3, 5-3, RBI)
4. Jeimer Candelario, 3B: 0-3 (K, 6-3, 4-U FC, R, RBI)
5a. Yasiel Balaguert, RF: 1-3 (K, P-5, 1B)
5b. Rock Shoulders, 1B: NO AB
6. Dan Vogelbach, 1B-DH: 0-3 (P-3, F-8, 3-6 FC)
7. Gioskar Amaya, 2B: 0-3 (F-8, 3-1, F-8)
8a. Trevor Gretzky, DH #1: 1-2 (K, 1B)
8b. Wilson Contreras, C: 1-1 (1B)
9. Dong-Yub Kim, DH-LF: 1-3 (2B, K, K, R)

CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Rob Whitenack: 4.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, (1 ER), 0 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, 49 pitches (35 strikes), 1/3 GO/FO
2. Arturo Maltos-Garcia: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 14 pitches (9 strikes), 3/0 GO/FO
3. James Pugliese: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 29 pitches (17 strikes), 5/3 GO/FO
4. Roderik Pichardo: 0.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R (6 ER), 3 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 2 HR, 24 pitches (9 strikes), 1/0 GO/FO
NOTE: 9th inning was stopped with one out when Pichardo reached his pre-planned max pitch limit

CUBS ERRORS: NONE

ATTENDANCE: 22

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 90's