Angels Take Down Cubs in Diablo Park

Alex Abbott drilled a triple and a single and scored twice and Jose Antonio Rodriguez reached base three times (two singles and an HBP) and scored a run, helping the Angels to a 7-4 victory over the Cubs in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action this morning at Diablo Park Field #7 in Tempe. 

Eloy Jimenez belted a two-run triple, walked, and scored a run, Kevonte Mitchell singled twice, stole two bases, and scored a run, and Andrew Ely reached base three times (two singles and an HBP) for the Cubs in a losing cause.

Mitchell leads the EXST Cubs in stolen bases with eight (no CS) in 16 Cactus League EXST games, and E. Jimenez has been an "RBI machine," with 13 ribbies in just 15 Cactus League EXST games (leads team).

ELOY JIMENEZ in 15 Cactus League EXST games (55 PA):
265/309/511, with three doubles, three triples, and one HR, three walks, eight strikeouts, and one HBP, and two SB (no CS).  

NOTE: Through 23 Cactus League EXST games so far, the Cubs have hit only five home runs as a team... one each by Frandy de la Rosa, Eloy Jimenez, Ricardo Marcano, Yohan Matos, and Taylor Teagarden,  

19-year old lanky lefty Justin Steele (Cubs 2014 5th round draft pick - George County HS - Lucedale, MS) got the start for the Cubs and quickly and easily retired the first seven men he faced (6-3, 4-3, 3-U, 5-3, K, F-7, K) on just 20 pitches, before running into trouble with one out in the bottom of the third, when he allowed four consecutive batters to reach base (1B, 1B, BB, BB). The 2014 Mississippi High School Player of the Year, Steele was cruising along, working his two-seam fastball in the low 90's and getting a ton of ground balls with it, before he began to lose command in his third inning of work once he had to start pitching out of the stretch. 

JUSTIN STEELE in his four Cactus League EXST games : 
9.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 9 K, 13/7 GO/FO, 63% strikes (4 games) 
2.79 ERA - 1.03 WHIP 

RHP Oscar de la Cruz "piggy-backed" with Steele, working 3.2 IP (65 pitches) and allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits (all singles), two walks, and an HBP. He struck out three (all swinging), with a 5/3 GO/FO. Along with RHRP Scott Frazier (whose fastball velocity has reached 99 MPH this spring) and Alexander Santana (mid-90's fastball that sits at 94 and touches 95), the 20-year old 6'6 de la Cruz is one of the hardest throwers among Cub pitchers at EXST, with a 94 MPH fastball that can touch 95. Like a lot of young pitchers, de la Cruz's fastball command and secondary stuff (breaking ball and change-up) need work, but he was the ace of the staff at DSL Cubs last season, and he is in the mix for one of the rotation starter jobs at Eugene this year. (Carson Sands, Justin Steele, and Austyn Willis are virtual locks to make the Eugene rotation, with de la Cruz, Santana, and Jose Paulino likely competing for the remaining two slots). 

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


CUBS LINEUP: 
1. Kevonte Mitchell, CF: 2-4 (E-3, 1B, F-8, 1B, R, 2 SB) 
2. Carlos Sepulveda, SS-3B: 1-3 (F-7, BB, 4-3, 1B, R)
3. Frandy de la Rosa, 2B: 1-4 (K, F-8, 1B, K, CS)
4. Eloy Jimenez, RF: 1-3 (L-7, 3B, F-8, BB, R, 2 RBI)
5. Alberto Mineo, 1B: 1-4 (1B, 4-3, K, F-8, R)
6. Andrew Ely, 3B-DH: 2-3 (1B, F-8, HBP, 1B)
7a. Tyler Alamo, C: 0-3 (6-4 FC, F-8, 6-4-3 DP)
7b. Jhonny Pereda, C: 1-1 (1B)  
8. Kevin Encarnacion, DH #1: 1-4 (K, 3B, K, P-4)
9. Ricardo Marcano, LF: 1-3 (L-7, 5-3, 1B, PO)
10. Andruw Monasterio, DH-SS: 0-3 (F-8, K, F-8) 

CUBS PITCHERS: 
1. Justin Steele: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, 5/1 GO/FO, 38 pitches (23 strikes) 
2. Oscar de la Cruz: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 5/3 GO/FO, 65 pitches (40 strikes) 
3. Sam Wilson: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 1/1 GO/FO, 9 pitches (4 strikes) 
4. Yomar Morel: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1/0 GO/FO, 23 pitches (17 strikes) 

CUBS ERRORS: 
1. 2B Frandy de la Rosa: E-4 (throwing error while attempting to turn 5-4-3 DP allowed runner on 3rd to score unearned run)
2. 3B Carlos Sepulveda: E-5 (two-base throwing error allowed batter to reach 2nd base safely)

WEATHER: Mostly sunny & breezy with temperatures in the 90's 

ATTENDANCE: 3