
Raul Linares rifled a single through the box to drive-in the tying run from 3rd base with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, as the Angels rallied for two runs in their final AB to tie the Cubs 3-3 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Diablo Park Field #7 in Tempe, AZ.
Eloy Jimenez singled twice and collected an RBI and Varonex Cuevas ripped an RBI triple and scored a run for the Cubs.
Casper Wells (Iowa 7-day DL - back spasms) continued his EXST rehab, playing RF for five innings and batting once in each of the first five innings. He went 0-5, getting called out on strikes in both the 1st and 2nd innings (in both cases strike three was a knee-buckling curve thrown by Angels 2013 3rd round draft pick RHP Keynan Middleton), before grounding out 5-3 in the 3rd, and flying out in the 4th and 5th innings.
After LHP Michael Heesch (Daytona 7-day DL) made his 2014 game debut with a 1-2-3 five-pitch bottom of the 1st inning (6-3, F-9, P-4), veteran MLB RHP Joel Pineiro took the hill and threw the next six innings (77 pitches) for the Cubs, allowing one run on six hits (four singles and two doubles) and a walk, with five strikeouts. Pineiro also induced three inning-ending double plays, as he really had the sinker working today (12/2 GO/FO).
There was a somewhat larger crowd than normal at today's game, although some of the fans were clearly there to watch Angels OF Josh Hamilton (15-day DL - torn ligament in thumb) run the bases and field fly balls and grounders on an adjacent field.
Here is the abridged box score from today's game (Cubs players only):
CUBS LINEUP:
X. Casper Wells, RF: 0-5 (K, K, 5-3, F-9, F-7)
NOTE: Wells batted 3rd in the top of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th innings
1. Gleyber Torres, SS: 1-4 (5-3, 6-3, 2B, K)
2. Roney Alcala, 1B: 0-4 (F-8, L-9, E-4, E-5, R)
3. Eloy Jimenez, DH-CF: 2-4 (1B, K 1B, K, RBI)
4. Shamil Ubiera, LF: 1-3 (F-8, 1B, P-5, R)
5. Adonis Paula, 3B: 0-3 (4-3, P-4, K)
6. Varonex Cuevas, 2B: 1-3 (K, 3B, K, R, RBI)
7. Erick Castillo, C: 0-3 (K, F-9, K)
8a. Charcer Burks, CF-DH: 0-2 (F-9, P-4)
8b. Antonio Valerio, PH: 0-1 (6-3)
9a. SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
9b. Ricardo Marcano, RF 1-2 (K, 1B)
CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Michael Heesch: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 5 pitches (4 strikes)
2. Joel Pineiro: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 5 K, 1 WP, 3 GIDP, 12/2 GO/FO, 77 pitches (50 strikes)
3. Jeferson Mejia: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/FO, 18 pitches (9 strikes)
4. Victor Salazar: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP, 1/1 GO/FO, 25 pitches (11 strikes)
5. Francisco Carrillo: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 5 pitches (3 strikes)
CUBS ERRORS: NONE
ATTENDANCE: 17
WEATHER: Mostly cloudy & breezy with temperatures in the 80's
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