Cubs & A's Fit to be Tied at Fitch Park

The Cubs and Athletics played to a 5-5 tie in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training game played this morning on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.

Frandy de la Rosa (two-run single) and Tyler Alamo (RBI single) drilled run-scoring hits to highlight a three-run third that gave the Cubs an early 3-0 lead. Then after the A's took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the eighth on a Miguel Mercedes solo home run, the Cubs came back and tied the game in the top of the ninth as pinch-hitter Tyler Pearson belted a two-out triple to right-center and scored on a game-tying Bryant Flete RBI single. The A's loaded the bases on two walks and a Cub error in the bottom of the 9th, but were unable to push across the winning run.  

Robert Garcia singled, doubled, and scored two runs for the Cubs.   

Cub pitchers allowed only four hits in the game (none until the fourth, and only one through six), but they also walked eight, hit a batter, and threw three wild pitches. Collectively, Cub pitchers threw only 53% strikes today. The two Cub catchers (Tyler Alamo and Jhonny Pereda) took a physical beating behind the plate, with numerous balls short-hopping them before hitting a collar-bone or a groin.  

Two veteran ex-MLB pitchers recently signed by the Cubs to minor league contracts saw action in today's game, as RHP Felipe Paulino (released by the Red Sox at the end of SpringTraining) and LHRP Daniel Schlereth (released by the Tigers last month) each worked an inning.  

The 6'3 260+ 31-year old Paulino came out like a house afire, striking out the first two men he faced (both swinging) on seven pitches before walking the next two hitters on 3-2 pitches, finally retiring the side on a pop-out to the first-baseman in foul territory. He cuts a rather large figure on the mound, with a physique similar to that of Jumbo Diaz or Jonathan Broxton. 

Originally signed by the Houston Astros as an International free-agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2001, Paulino has pitched in the big leagues with Houston, Colorado, Kansas City, and the White Sox. He underwent an elbow UCL transplant (TJS) post-2012 when he was with the Royals, and then missed most of last season with a right shoulder injury while a member of the White Sox. 

The 28-year old Schlereth worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the 2nd (F-9, 4-3, P-4), but had command issues, going to a three-ball count on the first two hitters he faced and a two-ball count on the third hitter before retiring them. He needed 15 pitches to retire the side, but threw only seven strikes.

Schlereth was the 1st round pick (26th overall) of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008 out of the University of Arizona, and was part of the Max Scherzer/Curtis Granderson/Edwin Jackson/Ian Kennedy/Austin Jackson/Phil Coke three-team mega-deal in December 2009, going to the Tigers with Scherzer, Coke and A. Jackson (Granderson went to the Yankees, and E. Jackson and Kennedy ended up in Arizona). 

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


CUBS LINEUP: 
1. Kevonte Mitchell, CF: 0-2 (BB, BB, K, 6-3, R, RBI)
2. Frandy de la Rosa, 2B: 1-3 (2-3 SH, 1B, 3-U, K, 2 RBI)
3a. Tyler Alamo, C: 2-3 (P-3, 1B, 1B, RBI) 
3b. Jhonny Pereda, C: 0-1 (5-3) 
4a. Adonis Paula, 3B: 1-3 (K, 1B, 6-4-3 DP) 
4b. Carlos Jimenez, 3B: 0-1 (F-7)
5a. Miguel Rico, DH #1: 0-3 (5-3, 6-3, 6-3)
5b. Tyler Pearson, PH: 1-1 (3B, R)
6. Bryant Flete, SS: 2-4 (1B, P-5, 3-1, 1B, RBI, CS)
7. Roney Alcala, 1B: 0-4 (F-8, K, F-7, K) 
8. Varonex Cuevas, DH #2: 1-3 (3-U, 1B, 6-3) 
9. Robert Garcia, RF: 2-3 (1B, 4-6 FC, 2B, 2 R) 
10. Danny Gutierrez, LF: 1-3 (1B, P-3, 6-3, R)

CUBS PITCHERS: 
1. Felipe Paulino: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/FO, 22 pitches (12 strikes) 
2. Daniel Schlereth: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GO/FO, 15 pitches (7 strikes) 
3. Austyn Willis: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 4/2 GO/FO, 22 pitches (14 strikes) 
4. Jordan Brink: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 1/1 GO/FO, 19 pitches (10 strikes) 
5. Jae-Hoon Ha: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HBP, 2 WP, 0/2 GO/FO, 20 pitches (9 strikes) 
6. Corbin Hoffner: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 20 pitches (11 strikes) 
7. Hector Perez: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1/1 GO/FO, 17 pitches (10 strikes) 
8. Andin Diaz: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/FO, 18 pitches (8 strikes) 

CUBS ERRORS: 3 
1. 3B Carlos Jimenez - E-5 (two base throwing error allowed batter to reach 2nd base safely)
2. C Jhonny Pereda - E-2 (overthrow at 3rd base on stolen base allowed baserunner to score unearned run)
3. 3B Carlos Jimenez - E-5 (fielding eror allowed batter to reach base safely)

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
1. Tyler Alamo: 0-3 CS
2. Jhonny Pereda: 0-1 CS, 1 E (see above) 

CUBS OUTFIELD ASSISTS: 
LF Danny Gutierrez - threw out baserunner 7-5 trying to advance from 1st to 3rd on line single to LF 

WEATHER: Partly cloudy & breezy with temperatures in the 90's 

ATTENDANCE: 6