Diamondbacks Take One from Cubs, Rally to Tie Another

Jeffrey Baez (RBI triple and RBI FC) and Eloy Jimenez (RBI double and RBI single) collected two RBI a piece to help the Cubs take a 7-1 lead, but Fernery Ozuna drove-in four runs with two two-run singles (one in the 5th and the other with two outs in the bottom of the 7th) as the Diamondbacks rallied to tie the Cubs 7-7 on Jackrabbit Field, and Everett Williams belted an RBI triple, singled, reached base on an HBP, and scored a run, and Mark Thomas drilled an RBI single, tripled, stole a base, and scored two runs, leading the D'backs to a 7-4 victory on Whirlwind Field, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training split-squad doubleheader action this morning at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ.

Rony Rodriguez (RBI single and a two run HR) knocked in three runs and Shamil Ubiera drilled an RBI double, singled, and scored a run in a losing cause for the Cubs on Whirlwind Field.

Both games were pre-planned as seven-inning contests.

In EXST Cubs roster news, outfielders Casper Wells (back spasms) and Justin Ruggiano (hamstring) have completed their EXST rehabs and have been moved-up to AAA Iowa (Wells has been reinstated from Iowa's 7-day DL, and Ruggiano remains on the Cubs MLB 15-day DL and is assigned to Iowa on a Minor League Rehab Assignment), and RHPs Zak Hermans and Corbin Hoffner have been moved-up to Kane County from EXST, replacing RHP Jen-Ho Tseng (7-day DL - shoulder) and LHP Nathan Dorris (moved up to Daytona) on the KC roster. 

Wells hit 182/345/273 in seven Cactus League EXST games (29 PA), with two doubles, five BB, a HBP, and three K, while Ruggiano hit 154/214/231 in four Cactus League EXST games (14 PA), with a double, a walk, and three K. Ruggiano also clubbed two ringing doubles and stole 3rd base in Saturday's intrasquad game. 

THE PITCHING LINES FROM ZAK HERMANS' EIGHT 2014 CACTUS LEAGUE EXST OUTINGS: 
4/9  -  1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/FO, 20 pitches (12 strikes)
4/11 - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 0/2 GO/FO, 15 pitches (9 strikes) 
4/15 - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 PO, 2/2 GO/FO, 25 pitches (14 strikes)
4/18 - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1/0 GO/FO, 11 pitches (8 strikes)
4/24 - 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 3/4 GO/FO, 32 pitches (22 strikes)
4/29 - 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 1 GIDP, 3/4 GO/FO, 43 pitches (28 strikes)
5/5  -  3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 2 WP, 1 PO, 3/2 GO/FO, 46 pitches (30 strikes) 
5/13 - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 3/1 GO/FO, 31 pitches (18 strikes)  
TOTAL: 16.0 IP, 11 H, 4 R (4 ER), 5 BB, 13 K, 1 HBP, 2 WP, 2 PO, 1 GIDP, 18/15 GO/FO, 67% strikes, 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, .196 OppBA

THE PITCHING LINES FROM CORBIN HOFFNER'S EIGHT 2014 CACTUS LEAGUE EXST OUTINGS: 
4/14 - 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 GIDP, 5/1 GO/FO, 41 pitches (27 strikes) 
4/18 - 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 0/2 GO/FO, 15 pitches (9 strikes) 
4/21 - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 0/2 GO/FO, 9 pitches (6 strikes) 
4/26 - INTRASQUAD GAME  
4/29 - 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 0/2 GO/FO, 13 pitches (9 strikes) 
5/3   - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 6/0 GO/FO, 15 pitches (12 strikes) 
5/7   - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 4/1 GO/FO, 19 pitches (15 strikes) 
5/10 - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 4/0 GO/FO, 22 pitches (16 strikes)
5/16 - 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP, 6/1 GO/FO, 28 pitches (20 strikes)
TOTAL: 14.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 9 K, 1 HR, 2 GIDP, 25/9 GO/FO, 73% strikes, 1.26 ERA, 0.42 WHIP, .109 OppBA  

Here are the abridged box scores from today's games (Cubs players only):  
WHIRLWIND FIELD:

CUBS SQUAD "A" LINEUP:
1. Charcer Burks, CF: 0-4 (P-6, P-4, F-8, F-8)
2. Kevin Brown, LF: 1-3 (HBP, 1B, L-8, 1-3, 2 R)
3. Shamil Ubiera, RF: 2-4 (L-7, 2B, 1B, P-6, R, RBI)
4. Rony Rodriguez, 1B: 2-4 (1B, K, HR, K, R, 3 RBI)
5. Roney Alcala, DH: 1-2 (4-3, HBP, 1B)
6. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 0-3 (K+WP, L-7, 5-4 FC)
7. Varonex Cuevas, 2B: 0-3 (6-3, E-4, K)
8. Mark Malave, C: 1-3 (3-1, F-9, 1B)
9. Gleyber Torres, SS: 0-2 (BB, K, K, PO)

CUBS SQUAD "A" PITCHERS:
1. Jeferson Mejia: 1.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP, 3 WP, 1/2 GO/FO, 54 pitches (28 strikes)
2. Yomar Morel: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1/3 GO/FO, 28 pitches (20 strikes)
3. Francisco Carrillo: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 0/2 GO/FO, 33 pitches (21 strikes)
4. Victor Salazar: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 0/1 GO/FO, 8 pitches (6 strikes)

CUBS SQUAD "A" ERRORS: 3
1. SS Gleyber Torres - E-6 (dropped pop fly allowed batter to reach 2nd base safely - eventually scored unearned run)
2. 1B Rony Rodriguez - E-3 (throwing error on attempted 3-6 FC allowed baserunner to reach 2nd base safely and advance to 3rd base)
3. 3B Jesse Hodges - E-5 (two-base throwing error allowed baserunner to score unearned run from 2nd base)

CUBS SQUAD "A" CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Mark Malave: 0-2 CS, 1 PO

JACKRABBIT FIELD:

CUBS SQUAD "B" LINEUP:
1. Rashad Crawford, DH #1: 0-2 (BB, 4-3, BB, K, R, CS)
2. Elliot Soto, SS: 1-4 (K, E-5, 1B, K, R)
3. Jeffrey Baez, CF: 1-3 (K, 3B, 5-4 FC, R, 2 RBI)  
4. Eloy Jimenez, DH #2: 2-3 (6-3, 2B, 1B, 2 RBI)
5. Oliver Zapata, LF: 0-3 (F-9, F-9, K)
6. Ricardo Marcano, 1B: 0-3 (1-3, F-9, K)
7. Adonis Paula, 3B: 0-2 (BB, F-9, F-9, R)
8. Justin Marra, C: 1-3 (1B, 3-1, 3-1, R)
9. Bryant Flete, 2B: 1-2 (FC+E6, BB, 1B, 2 R, RBI, SB)
10. Arnaldo Calero, RF: 0-3 (5-3, K, 2-U, RBI)  

CUBS SQUAD "B" PITCHERS:
1. Luis Hernandez: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 1 GIDP, 7/1 GO/FO, 39 pitches (26 strikes)
2. Trey Lang: 1.1 IP, 2 H, 4 R (4 ER), 4 BB, 3 K, 2 WP, 39 pitches (16 strikes)
3. Carlos Llano: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 4/2 GO/FO, 32 pitches (19 strikes)

CUBS SQUAD "B" ERRORS: NONE

CUBS SQUAD "B" CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Justin Marra: 2-2 CS

CUBS SQUAD "B" OUTFIELD ASSISTS:
CF Jeffrey Baez - baserunner thrown out 8-1-4 trying to advance from 1st to 2nd on a sacrifice fly

ATTENDANCE: 8

WEATHER: Sunny & a bit breezy with temperatures in the 90's