Bard Totally Wild at Talking Stick

Jenner Emeterio singled, doubled, and tripled, scored two runs, and drove-in another, Varonex Cuevas singled and scored in the 3rd and belted a two-run home run in the 6th, and Carlos Jimenez singled, doubled, reached base on an HBP, and scored a run. as the Cubs edged the Diamondbacks 6-5 on Whirlwind Field, and Raymel Flores drilled a two-run single with two outs and the bases loaded to key a four-run 3rd, as the D'backs shutout the Cubs 6-0 on Jackrabbit Field, in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training split squad doubleheader played this morning at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ.

Both games were called after 7-1/2 innings of play. 

Veteran MLB RHRP Daniel Bard had a very odd/unusual day. Working one inning in the game on Whirlwind Field, Bard issued three walks, struck out two (both swinging), and uncorked six wild pitches. That's six wild pitches In one inning!

In EXST Cubs roster news, catcher Eric Gonzalez has been assigned to the DSL Cubs, and catcher Tyler Pearson has been moved-up to AA Tennessee.  

The 18-year old Gonzalez got into eight Cactus League EXST games (14 PA), going 0-13 with one walk and five strikeouts. He threw out one of three baserunners attempting to steal against him (33% CS). Gonzalez was signed by the Cubs last June, and he hit 254/297/322 in 19 DSL games last season.

The DSL Cubs begin play a week from tomorrow (Saturday May 30th), and it's possible that additional players who are presently at Extended Spring Training will get assigned to the DSL Cubs prior to DSL Opening Day.

The 23-year old Pearson was the Cubs 25th round pick in the 2014 MLB Fiirst-Year Player Draft out of Texas State (by way of Rice). He hit 235/322/431 in 21 games with AZL Cubs last season, and 250/333/458 in 14 Cactus League EXST games (30 PA) this season (with three doubles and a triple, three walks and an HBP, eight strikeouts, a SH, a SF, and two GIDP). He had a 14% CS, with one passed ball in Cactus League EXST games.

While he was assigned to Tennessee and will physically report to the Smokies, he will not be activated until he is needed. The Cubs have been doing that quite a bit this season, which is to say a a player will be placed on a minor league affiliate's 7-day DL or assigned to Eugene or AZL Cubs (but only on paper), without the player actually leaving the club or reporting to Extended Spring Teaining. Then other times, the player does report to EXST.

One player on a Cubs minor league affiliate's 7-day DL who is definitely at Extended Spring Training is OF Shawon Dunston Jr, who is rehabbing a right arm injury (I believe it's the right shoulder) sustained about a month go at Hi-A Myrtle Beach. Dunston is just now beginning a throwing program and to take BP at EXST, so he probably won't be ready to return to the Pelicans for a while.

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

JACKRABBIT FIELD 

CUBS SQUAD "A" LINEUP: 
1. Kevonte Mitchell, CF: 0-2 (BB, K, K)
2. Frandy de la Rosa, 2B: 0-3 (4-6 FC, F-7, K, CS)
3. Eloy Jimenez, RF-DH: 0-1 (BB, BB, K)
4. Tyler Alamo, C-DH: 1-3 (F-8, 4-6-3 DP, 1B)
5. Ricardo Marcano, LF: 0-3 (F-7, 3-U, 6-4 FC) 
6. Kevin Encarnacion, DH #1: 0-3 (L-7, L-8, 4-6 FC) 
7. Adonis Paula, 3B: 0-2 (K, BB, K) 
8. Ho-Young Son, SS: 0-2 (K, 5-4 FC) 
9. Yohan Matos, DH-C: 0-1 (BB, K)
10. Roney Alcala, 1B: 0-2 (K, F-8)
11. Danny Gutierrez, DH-RF: 1-2 (1B, P-3, SB)

CUBS SQUAD "A" PITCHERS: 
1. Justin Steele: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 6 R (4 ER), 3 BB, 3 K, 4/0 GO/FO, 65 pitches (37 strikes) 
2. Dillon Maples: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 3/2 GO/FO, 39 pitches (22 strikes) 
3. John Michael Knighton: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 0/4 GO/FO, 14 pitches (12 strikes) 

CUBS SQUAD "A" ERRORS: 1 
LF Ricardo Marcano: E-7 (dropped fly ball allowing batter to reach base safely)

CUBS SQUAD "A" OUTFIELD ASSISTS: 
LF Ricardo Marcano - threw out batter 7-4 trying to stretch single into double

WHIRLWIND FIELD

CUBS SQUAD "B" LINEUP: 
1a. Roberto Caro, RF: 1-3 (BB, K, 1B, 3-U, R, RBI, SB, CS)
1b. Andruw Monasterio, PH-SS: 0-1 (L-7)
2. Robert Garcia, CF:1-4 (6-3, 2B, K, 4-3, RBI) 
3. Carlos Sepulveda, 2B: 0-1 (BB, BB, F-7 SF, K, RBI, CS)
4. Alberto Mineo, 1B: 0-3 (F-9, K, K, BB)
5. Jose Paniagua, LF: 2-4 (1B, P-3, F-8, 2B)
6a. Erick Castillo, C: 1-2 (5-4-3 DP, 2B)
6b. Jhonny Pereda, C: 0-2 (P-4, F-9)
7. Carlos Jimenez, SS-DH: 2-3 (P-3, 1B, 2B, HBP, R, CS)
8. Varonex Cuevas, 3B: 2-4 (1B, F-8, HR, K, 2 R, 2 RBI)
9. Jenner Emeterio, DH-RF: 3-4 (3B, 1B+E5, 2B, K, 2 R, RBI)

CUBS SQUAD "B" PITCHERS:
1. Oscar de la Cruz: 3.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 5 K, 3/2 GO/FO, 65 pitches (45 strikes) 
2. Enrique de los Rios: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 2/1 GO/FO, 27 pitches (16 strikes) 
3. Daniel Bard: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 2 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 2 K, 6 WP, 30 pitches (13 strikes) 
4. Jae-Hoon Ha: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 0/2 GO/FO, 15 pitches (7 strikes) 

CUBS SQUAD "B" ERRORS: NONE 

CUBS SQUAD "B" CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Jhonny Pereda: 1-1 CS, 1 PO

WEATHER: Mostly sunny & VERY breezy with temperatures in the 80's

ATTENDANCE: 28