Andreoli & Kalish Long Balls Carry Iowa Cubs to Victory at Fitch Park

Employing  the long ball (a Ryan Kalish three-run bomb and a John Andreoli solo blast) and six innings of one-run ball from 2015 Cubs Minor League Pitcher of the Year Ryan Williams, the Iowa Cubs (AAA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) defeated the Nashville Sounds (Oakland Athletics AAA affiliate) 6-2 on Field #4, while on Field #3, Michael Soto, John Nogowski, and J. P. Sportman drilled consecutive RBI singles to highlight a three-run 7th, lifting the Midland Rockhounds (A's AA affiliate) to a 6-3 victory over the Tennessee Smokies (Cubs AA affiliate), in Cactus League Minor League doubleheader action Saturday afternoon at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.  

In addition to his HR, Andreoli also walked twice and stole a base.

The I-Cubs bullpen (Peralta-Edwards-Pena) retired the last seven Sounds hitters, striking out six of them.

Iowa 1B Dan Vogelbach left the game on Field #4 after being hit on the foot with a pitch. 

Gioskar Amaya reached base four times (three walks and a single), Mike O'Neill collected three singles, and Mark Zagunis drove-in all three Tennessee runs (two-run double and a bases loaded HBP) in a losing cause on Field #3. 

Smokies SP Jonathan Martinez and reliever (ex-starter) Daury Torrez had rough outings on Field #3, with Martinez allowing five hits (two doubles and three singles) and four walks in just 3.2 IP (78 pitches - only 60% strikes), and Torrez surrendering three runs on five hits in just one inning of work.  

In Minor League Camp roster news, the Cubs have released RHRP Matt Brazis (acquired from SEA for OF Justin Ruggiano post-2014), 1B Matt Clark (ex-MIL), OF Donnie Cimino (2015 37th round draft pick - Weslyan U.), LHRP Heath Dwyer (2015 NDFA - VCU), LHRP Nick Greenwood (ex-STL), C-INF Jordan Hankins (2013 11th round draft pick - Austin Peay), RHRP Santiago Rodriguez (2013 IFA - Dominican Republic), RHSP Austyn Willis (2014 18th round draft pick - Barstow HS - Barstow, CA), and LHRP Sam Wilson (2013 8th round draft pick - Lamar CC). 

Cubs Spring Training Depth Chart
Minor League Camp Rosters (updated daily)

Here are the abridged box scores from the two game (Cubs players only): 

FIELD #3

TENNESSEE LINEUP:
1. Mike O'Neill, CF: 3-5 (3-1, 1B, 6-3, 1B, 1B)
2. Carlos Penalver, SS: 1-5 (P-3, 1B, K, P-3, E-4)
3. Billy McKinney, RF: 0-4 (K, F-7, K, BB, F-8)
4a. Kelly Dugan, LF:  1-4 (3-1, 1B, 1-3, F-7, R)
4b. Kevonte Mitchell, PH-LF: 0-1 (4-3)
5a. Victor Caratini, C: 1-2 (L-4, 1B, BB, R)
5b. Ben Carhart, C: 0-1 (F-9)
6. Gioskar Amaya, 1B: 1-1 (BB, BB, 1B, BB, R)
7. Mark Zagunis, DH: 1-2 (6-4 FC, HBP, 2B, BB, 3 RBI)
8. Jason Vosler, 3B: 0-4 (1-3, K, F-8, 4-3)
9. Danny Lockhart, 2B: 1-4 (1B, K, 6-3, L-7)

TENNESSEE PITCHERS:
1. Jonathan Martinez: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 1 K, 7/3 GO/AO, 78 pitches (47 strikes) 
2. Cole Brocker: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 0 K, 1 WP, 3/1 GO/AO, 25 pitches (10 strikes) 
3. Josh Conway: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 GIDP, 2/0 GO/AO, 16 pitches (9 strikes) 
4. Daury Torrez: 1.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 0 K, 1/2 GO/AO, 21 pitches (16 strikes) 
5. David Garner: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 3/0 GO/AO, 6 pitches (5 strikes) 

TENNESSEE ERRORS: NONE 

TENNESSEE CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Victor Caratini: 0-1 CS, 1 PB 

FIELD #4

IOWA LINEUP: 
1. John Andreoli, RF: 1-3 (BB, HR, BB, K, F-9, R, RBI, SB)
2. Albert Almora Jr, CF: 1-4 (P-3, 6-3, P-4, 2B, R)
3. Matt Murton, LF-DH: 0-4 (4-3, K, K, F-9)
4a. Dan Vogelbach, 1B: 0-1 (BB, P-2, HBP)
4b. Taylor Davis, PR-1B: 0-0 (F-9 SF, R, RBI)
5. Willson Contreras, C: 1-4 (F-7, F-8, 1B, K, R)
6. Kristopher Negron, 3B: 1-3 (2B, BB, F-9, F-9, SB)
7. Ryan Kalish, DH-LF: 1-3 (K, 3-1, HR, BB, 2 R, 3 RBI)
8. Arismendy Alcantara, 2B: 1-3 (3-U, 1-3, BB, 1B, CS)
9,. Logan Watkins, SS-DH: 0-2 (6-3, BB, K)
NOTE: SLOT WAS SKIPPED FOURTH TIME THRU BATTING ORDER
10a. Bijan Rademacher, DH #2: 0-1 (P-3) 
10b. David Freitas, PH: 0-1 (K) 
10c. Bryant Flete, PH-SS: 0-2 (P-6, 4-3)

IOWA PITCHERS: 
1. Ryan Williams: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 6 K, 1 GIDP, 7/3 GO/AO, 79 pitches (52 strikeS) 
2. Starling Peralta: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 0/1 GO/AO, 28 pitches (18 strikes)
3. Carl Edwards Jr: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 1/0 GO/AO, 13 pitches (9 strikes) 
4. Felix Pena: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 12 pitches (9 strikes) 

IOWA ERRORS: NONE 

ATTENDANCE: 112 

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 80's