Cubs See High-Speed Black and Rally to Tie at Riverview Park
Jhonny Pereda drilled a game-tying two-out two-run single in the bottom of the 7th and then he tied the game again with an RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the 9th, as the Cubs rallied to tie the Giants in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training game played this morning on Field #6 at Mesa CubTown at Riverview Park.
The game was called after ten innings of play with the scored tied 4-4.
Kevin Encarnacion singled twice, walked, drove-in a run, and scored another for the Cubs, and Chuckie Jones drove-in two runs with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly and scored a run, Evan Potter reached base twice (HBP and a single), stole a base, and scored two runs, and LHSP Nik Turley hurled four innings of shutout ball for the Giants.
Veteran MLB RHP Felipe Paulino got his second EXST start for the Cubs, throwing two shutout innings (29 pitches - 20 strikes), allowing two singles and no walks, with four strikeouts and a 1/1 GO/FO.
Veteran MLB RHRP Daniel Bard saw his first Cactus League EXST game action (he pitched in an intrasquad game two days ago), and threw one inning (17 pitches - 10 strikes), allowing one run on two hits (both singles) and a HBP, with no walks or strikeouts,
Veteran LHRP Daniel Schlereth threw in his second Cactus League EXST game for the Cubs, and he labored through his one inning of work (26 pitches - only 11 strikes), allowing a run on one hit (a single), three walks, and two WP (but also two strikeouts),
The Cubs trailed 3-0 going into the bottom of the 7th, and then proceeded to tie the game with a three-spot off Giants fireballing RHRP Ray Black (Eloy Jimenez lead-off double off the LF fence, Kevin Encarnacion RBI single to right, and two walks to load the bases, and then the two-out two-run Jhonny Pereda line-drive RBI single once Black had left the game).
Despite blowing the lead, Black was getting his fastball velocity up to triple digits today, topping out at 101 MPH. (He was clocked at 102 last Saturday in a Cactus League EXST game versus the Angels in Tempe). The Cubs knew about him, so a couple dozen of the players who weren't in the game crowded around behind the screen watching the radar gun readings, shouting out each time he hit 100 or 101. It's not often you seen triple-digit fastballs at Extended Spring Training.
Black is an interesting case, because he had TJS in high school and then after being drafted by the Giants in 2011 (7th round out of the U. of Pittsburgh), he missed the next two seasons with a torn labrum. He finally returned to the mound last season, and he racked up an incredible 71 strikeouts in only 35.1 IP (that's 18.1 K per 9 innings) and only 4.3 hits allowed per 9 innings (combined) at Augusta and San Jose, which got him a spot on the Giants MLB 40-man roster post-2014 despite having only one year of pro game experience and no experience above "A" ball.
While the Cubs were playing the Giants in the Cactus League EXST game on Field #6, the rest of the Cubs EXST contigent was engaged in a seven-inning intrasquad game on Field #4.
LHP Carson Sands (Cubs 2014 4th round pick - North Florida Christian HS - Tallahassee, FL) was one of the starting pitchers in the intrasquad game, and he was outstanding, hurling 3.1 IP of hitless shutout ball (one walk and four strikeouts).
Conversely, RHP Jose Zapata was unable to retire a batter, allowing five runs on a single, a double, a triple, and two walks. Zapata is attempting to come back after suffering a cervical fracture in an off-season car crash in the Dominican Republic post-2013, the same crash that almost killed Kevin Encarnacion.
Here is the abridged box score from today's Cactus Leagie EXST game (Cubs players only), followed by the box score from the intrasquad game:
CACTUS LEAGUE EXST GAME - CUBS VERSUS GIANTS
FIELD #6:
CUBS LINEUP:
1. Kevonte Mitchell, CF: 0-5 (K, F-9, 5-4-3 DP, 4-3, L-8)
2. Frandy de la Rosa, 2B: 0-5 (K, 4-3, F-9, P-4, E-6)
3. Eloy Jimenez, LF: 1-5 (F-8, F-9, 2B, K, L-5, R)
4. Kevin Encarnacion, RF: 2-4 (P-1, 1B, 1B, BB, K, R, RBI)
5. Adonis Paula, 1B: 1-3 (1B, K, BB, 6-3, BB, R, PO)
6. Andrew Ely, 3B: 0-3 (F-9, BB, BB, F-7, K)
7. Ho-Young Son, SS: 1-3 (1B, 4-6-3 DP, P-4, BB, R, PO)
8. Alberto Mineo, C-DH: 1-4 (K, 2B, P-5, F-7)
9. Jhonny Pereda, DH-C: 2-3 (F-8, BB, 1B, 2B, 3 RBI)
CUBS PITCHERS:
1. Felipe Paulino: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 WP, 1/1 GO/FO, 29 pitches (20 strikes)
2. Daniel Bard: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HBP, 1/2 GO/FO, 17 pitches (10 strikes)
3. Brad Markey: 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 2/1 GO/FO, 23 pitches (16 strikes)
4. Daniel Schlereth: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 3 BB, 2 K, 2 WP, 0/1 GO/FO, 26 pitches (11 strikes)
5. Alexander Santana: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1 HBP, 2/1 GO/FO, 24 pitches (17 strikes)
6. Jordan Brink: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 0/1 GO/FO, 16 pitches (9 strikes)
7. Corbin Hoffner: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1/1 GO/FO, 25 pitches (16 strikes)
CUBS ERRORS: 2
1. P Felipe Paulino: E-1 (errant throw on pick-off attempt at 1st base allowed baserunner to advance to 2nd)
2. C Alberto Mineo: E-2 (overthrow on stolen base at 2nd base allowed baserunner to advance to 3rd)
CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Alberto Mineo: 0-1 CS, 1 E (see above)
WEATHER: Partly cloudy & breezy with tempratures in the 70's
ATTENDANCE: 12
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EXST CUBS INTRASQUAD GAME
NOTE: Tyler Alamo and Tyler Pearson served as Designated Hitters for both squads.
FIELD #4
CUBS SQUAD "B" LINEUP:
1. Robert Garcia, CF: 0-3 (6-3, K, K)
2. Tyler Alamo, DH #1: 1-2 (F-8, 1B, R)
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED THIRD TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
3. Jenner Emeterio, RF: 1-3 (F-8, 3B, K, R, RBI)
4. Varonex Cuevas, 1B: 0-2 (K, F-8 SF, 3-1, RBI)
5. Tyler Pearson, DH #2: 0-1 (K, BB)
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED THIRD TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
6. Yohan Matos, C: 1-2 (BB, F-9, 1B, SB)
7. Carlos Sepulveda, 2B: 0-3 (K, L-8, F-7)
8. Jose Paniagua, LF: 0-3 (F-8, L-8, K)
9. Andruw Monasterio, SS: 0-1 (6-3)
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED SECOND TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
10. Calvin Graves, DH #3: 0-2 (P-6, F-9)
11. Wladimir Galindo, 3B: NO AB
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED FIRST TWO TIMES THRU BATTING ORDER
CUBS SQUAD "A" LINEUP:
1. Roberto Caro, CF: 1-4 (5-3, F-7, 3B, K, R, RBI)
2. Danny Gutierrez, RF: 2-4 (P-6, E-9, 2B, E-5, R, RBI, SB)
3. Tim Saunders, SS: 1-3 (F-7, 2B, BB, K, 2 R)
4. Roney Alcala, 1B: 2-4 (2B, K, 1B, 4-3, R, RBI)
5. Bryant Flete, 2B; 1-2 (K, 3B, BB, 2 R, RBI, SB)
6. Ricardo Marcano, LF: 1-3 (F-8, 3-2 FC, 1B, 2 RBI, SB)
7. Carlos Jimenez, 3B: 0-3 (F-7, F-8, P-3)
8. Miguel Rico, C: 1-2 (E-5, 1B, RBI)
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED SECOND TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
9a. Tyler Alamo, DH: 0-1 (F-7)
9b. Tyler Pearson, PH: 0-0 (BB, R)
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED THIRD TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
CUBS SQUAD "B" PITCHERS:
1. Jesus Camargo: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 2/8 GO/FO, 51 pitches (35 strikes)
2. Jose Zapata: 0.0 IP, 3 H, 5 R (5 ER), 2 BB, 0 K, 23 pitches (9 strikes)
3. Pedro Araujo: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1/1GO/FO, 37pitches (23 strikes)
CUBS SQUAD "A" PITCHERS:
1. Carson Sands: 3.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 2/4 GO/FO, 45 pitches (26 strikes)
2. Jae-Hoon Ha: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 0/3 GO/FO, 22 pitches (13 strikes)
3. Hector Perez: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 1/3 GO/FO, 32 pitches (22 strikes)
CUBS SQUAD "B" ERRORS: 4
1. 3B Wladimir Galindo: E-5 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)
2. CF Robert Garcia: E-8 (fielding error allowed batter to advanvce an extra base)
3. 3B Wladimir Galindo: E-5 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)
4. C Yohan Matos: E-2 overthrow on stolen base at 2nd base allowed runner to advance to 3rd)
CUBS SQUAD "A" ERRORS: 1
C Miguel Rico: E-2 (overthrow on stolen base at 2nd base allowed runner to advance to 3rd)
CUBS SQUAD "B" CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Yohan Matos: 0-3 CS, 1 E (see above)
CUBS SQUAD "A" CATCHERS DEFENSE:
Miguel Rico: 0-1 CS, 1 E (see above)
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