Two Players Make Pro Debut as AZL Cubs Bat Around to Victory in Tempe

Wladimir Galindo doubled, tripled, walked, and scored two runs, Jose Paniagua singled twice, drove-in a run, scored a run, and reached base on an HBP, and Joey Martarano bashed a two-run triple, helping the AZL Cubs defeat the AZL Angels 6-4 in AZL action Thursday night at Tempe Diablo Stadium. 

The Cubs got off to a splendid start right off the bat (so to speak) in the top of the 1st inning, batting around and scoring three runs. 

Roberto Caro led-off by lofting a triple into the left-centerfield gap, and then scored on a picture-perfect suicide-squeeze bunt hit laid down the third-base line by Carlos Sepulveda. Wladimir Galindo doubled off the top of the LF fence (just missed a home run), putting runners at 2nd & 3rd. Sepulveda scored and Galindo moved up to third base on a WP, and then Joey Martarano reached base when the Angel shortstop fielded a routine grounder but got distracted when Galindo got caugfht in "no man's land" between 3rd & home, eventually allowing Martarano to reach 1st base and Galindo to return to 3rd base safely (should have been scored a FC, not a hit... oh well). Jose Paniagua then grounded a single to center to score Galindo with the third run of the inning. The Cubs had the bases loaded with one out after Carlos Jimenez singled, but they didn't score any more runs in that inning.

The Cubs scored another run in the top of the 3rd on two singles, a FC, and a 1-3 GO, and Joey Martrano knocked-in the final Cub runs of the evening with a line-drive opposite-field stand-up two-run  triple in the top of the 4th, as the Angel right-fielder tried to make a diving catch only to see the ball bound past him and go to the wall. (The CF alertly backed-up the play and was able to retrieve the ball and fire it into the infield before Martarano could circle the bases, forcing Martarano to stop at third, where he was left stranded).  

20-year old 6'2 220+ RHP Pedro Silverio made his U. S. debut for the AZL Cubs, getting the start on the mound and working four innings (63 pitches - 38 strikes). He allowed two runs (both earned) on six hits (all six hits were singles) and a walk, plus a WP, with two strikeouts (both swinging), one GIDP, and a 4/4 GO/FO. Silverio was signed by the Cubs in 2012, and had been the ace of the DSL Cubs starting rotation prior to getting moved-up to the AZL Cubs last week. 

Two Cubs 2015 draft picks made their pro debut in tonight's game. 

1. 23-year old 5'9 switch-hitting middle INF Sutton Whiting (24th round pick - U. of Louisville) entered the game under somewhat adverse circumstances with one out in the top of the 9th. Wladimir Galindo had to leave the game after being hit on the right forearm with a pitch, but the home plate umpire ruled that Galindo had swung at the pitch (and AZL Cubs Manager Carmelo Martinez went ballistic when he found out that Galindo wasn't awarded 1st base), so Whiting inherited an 0-2 count as Galindo's pinch-hitter. Whiting was unphased, however, as he fisted a bloop single over the shortstop's head and into short left field on the first pitch he saw. (I could have said Whiting entered the game "cold," but it was 100+ degrees at the time). He then stole second base, although he was ultimately left stranded. (The speedy Whiting was 5th in stolen bases in NCAA D-1 in 2014). Whiting played 2nd base in the bottom of the 9th. 

2. 21-year old OF Alex Bautista (22nd round pick - Lindsey Wilson College) entered the game as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the 9th inning, replacing starting LF Jose Paniagua who had to leave the game after being hit by a pitch on the left wrist in the top of the 9th (two batters after Galindo got hit). Bautista was an NAIA First-Team All-American in 2015, hitting 371/466/728 with 19 HR & 72 RBI, 13 doubles, and 27 SB (9 CS) in 60 games (251 PA) for the Blue Raiders. NOTE: You might notice that Bautista's name does not appear in the "official" box score at milb.com, but I can guarantee you that he was indeed in the game, playing LF in the bottom of the 9th. The official scorer probably was busy reciting the previous inning's play-by-play over the phone to the rep at milb.com HQ and didn't see the home plate umpire point to Bautista.

Catchers Marcus Mastrobuoni (25th round pick - Cal State Stanislaus), Ian Rice (29th round pick - U. of Houston), and Tyler Payne (30th round pick - West Virginia State) were in uniform but did not play in the game.

To make room for the five draft picks added to the AZL Cubs Active List, 1B Roney Alcala (2011 IFA - Venezuela), OF Jenner Emeterio (2012 IFA - Dominican Republic), OF Calvin Graves (2014 27th round draft pick - Franklin Pierce University), IF-OF Danny Gutierrez (2012 IFA - Venezuela), and C-1B Miguel Rico (2012 IFA - Venezuela) have been released.

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

CUBS LINEUP: 
1. Roberto Caro, CF: 1-5 (3B, 5-3, 3-1, K, K, R)
2. Carlos Sepulveda, 2B-SS: 1-4 (1B, 6-3, BB, K, K, 2 R, RBI)
3a. Wladimir Galindo, 3B: 2-3 (2B, 3B, BB, 5-3, 2 R)
3b. Sutton Whiting, PH-2B: 1-1 (1B, SB)
4. Joey Martarano, 1B: 2-5 (1B, F-8, 3B, 5-3, K, 2 RBI) 
5a. Jose Paniagua, LF: 2-4 (1B, 1B, 4-3, K, HBP, R, RBI)
5b. Alex Bautista, LF: NO AB 
6. Jhonny Pereda, C: 1-5 (K, 1B, 5-3, 3-U, K)
7. Carlos Jimenez, SS-3B: 2-4 (1B, 4-U FC, K, 1B)
8. Robert Garcia, RF: 0-3 (F-8, 1-3, F-8, 5-3 SH, RBI)
9. Andruw Monasterio, DH: 0-4 (4-6 FC, P-2, L-8, K)

CUBS PITCHERS: 
1. Pedro Silverio: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1 GIDP, 4/4 GO/FO, 63 pitches (38 strikes) 
2. John Michael Knighton: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 BALK, 3/1 GO/FO, 28 pitches (24 strikes) 
3. Francisco Carrillo: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 2/2 GO/FO, 27 pitches (16 strikes)
4. Mark Malave: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP, 1/0 GO/Fo, 14 pitches (9 strikes) 

CUBS ERRORS: 3 
1. 3B Wladimir Galindo: E-5 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely) 
2. 1B Joey Martarano: E-3 (missed catch on pick-off attempt allowed baserunner to advance to 2nd) 
3. P John Michael Knighton: E-1 (errant throw on pick-off attempt at 1st base allowed runner to advance to 2nd)

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Jhonny Pereda: 0-1 CS