Cubs Tie Bees While 66ers Blank Pelicans at Diablo

Matt Rose belted an RBI double, singled, and stole a base, Eloy Jimenez singled twice and scored a run, and Justin Steele and Kyle Twomey combined to toss a five-hitter for the South Bend Cubs (Lo-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs), while Michael Pierson ripped an RBI single and walked and SP Joe Gatto fanned seven in 4.1 IP for the Burlington Bees (Lo-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels), as the Bees and Cubs played to a 1-1 tie on Field #4, and Trever Allen drove-in two runs with a SF and an RBI double and Jake Jewell and four relievers combined to hurl a four-hit shutout, as the Inland Empire 66ers (Angels Hi-A affiliate) blanked the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs Hi-A affiliate) 3-0 on Field #7, in Cactus League Minor League doubleheader action this morning at the Diablo Stadium Complex in Tempe, AZ.  

It was a "bullpen day" for Myrtle Beach, as six Pelican relievers threw in the game on Field #7.  

Four position players (INF David Bote, C-1B Alberto Mineo, OF Kevonte Mitchell, and INF Sutton Whiting) were moved-up from the Eugene/Mesa group (Extended Spring Training) for the day, providing additional roster depth for the Pelicans and SB-Cubs. 

In Minor League Camp roster news, INF Danny Lockhart has been moved-down to Myrtle Beach from AA Tennessee. (Lockhart spent the 2015 season at Myrtle Beach). 

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

Still waiting for final minor league roster cuts, moves, and adjustments, although several pitchers and position players presently on the Iowa, Tennessee, Myrtle Beach, and South Bend active lists will likely be temporarily assigned to Eugene (AKA "Extended Spring Training") for a few days until further disposition can be determined. Last year, about a dozen pitchers and position players were left behind at EXST simply because there was no room for them on a full-season club's Opening Day roster, but the Cubs did not want to release them, either.     

Also, the Cubs will likely assign one position player (typically either a back-up catcher or multi-postional utility-type player) to each of the four full-season affiliates as a "player-coach," with the player inactive (usually by being placed on the club's 7-day DL with some vague soft-tissue injury) but staying in playing shape so that he can be activated in case another player goes on the DL. Last year, IF-OF Jonathan Mota (Iowa), C Tyler Pearson (Tennessee), C-1B Alberto Mineo (Myrtle Beach), and C Erick Castillo (South Bend) were the player-coaches for the four full-season teams, and RHP Jose Zapata (who was unable to pitch due to a broken neck suffered in a car crash post-2013) served as a player-coach (assistant pitching coach) with the short-season AZL Cubs.  

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games played today at Diablo (Cubs players only): 

FIELD #4

SOUTH BEND LINEUP:
1. Donnie Dewees, CF: 0-4 (K, 6-3, K, E-6)
2. Eddy Julio Martinez, RF: 0-4 (K, K, L-5, K)
3. P. J. Higgins, DH: 0-4 (5-3, 6-3, 1-3, L-9)
4. Eloy Jimenez, LF: 2-4 (1B, 1B, 4-3, K, R)
5. Matt Rose, 3B: 2-3 (2B, K, 1B, RBI, SB)
6. Andrew Ely, SS: 0-3 (5-3, K, F-7)
7. Tyler Alamo, 1B: 1-3 (5-3, 1B, 5-3)
8. Carlos Sepulveda, 2B: 0-3 (K, 4-3, K)
9. Alberto Mineo, C: 0-2 (K, BB, 5-3)

SOUTH BEND PITCHERS:  
1. Justin Steele: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 5 BB, 4 K, 1 PO, 4/5 GO/AO, 83 pitches (51 strikes) 
2. Kyle Twomey: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 3/3 GO/AO, 52 pitches (35 strikes) 

SOUTH BEND ERRORS: NONE 

SOUTH BEND CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Alberto Mineo: 2-4 CS 


FIELD #7

MYRTLE BEACH LINEUP:
1a. Rashad Crawford, CF: 0-2 (HBP, K, F-7)
1b. Kevonte Mitchell, LF: 0-1 (P-2)
2a. Gleyber Torres, SS: 1-3 (1B, F-8, 6-3, CS)
2b. Danny Lockhart, SS: 0-0 (BB)
3a. Ian Happ, 2B: 0-3 (K, 3-U, K)
3b. Sutton Whiting, 2B: 0-1 (F-8)
4. Jeffrey Baez, RF: 0-4 (6-3, K, P-6, P-3)
5a. Jason Vosler, 3B: 1-3 (K, 1B, K) 
5b. Jesse Hodges, 3B: 0-0 (BB) 
6. Charcer Burks, DH: 0-2 (BB, BB, F-8, 6-4-3 DP) 
7. Shawon Dunston Jr, LF-CF: 1-3 (1B, 3-1, BB, P-6)
8. Cael Brockmeyer, C: 1-3 (1B, K, P-4)
9. David Bote, 1B: 0-3 (P-3 DP, 5-3, K) 

MYRTLE BEACH PITCHERS: 
1. Daury Torrez: 1.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 B, 2 K, 1/0 GO/AO, 27 pitches (18 strikes) 
2. Ryan McNeil: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 1/2 GO/AO, 30 pitches (20 strikes) 
3. Dillon Maples: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 GIDP, 1/0 GO/AO, 19 pitches (8 strikes) 
4. Jordan Minch: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 PO, 0/1 GO/AO, 22 pitches (13 strikes) 
5. James Pugliese: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 2/0 GO/AO, 11 pitches (7 strikes) 
6. Tyler Ihrig: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 3/3 GO/AO, 23 pitches (14 strikes) 

MYRTLE BEACH ERRORS: NONE 

MYRTLE BEACH CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Cael Brockmeyer: 1-2 CS 

MYRTLE BEACH OUTFIELD ASSISTS: 
RF Jeffrey Baez - runner thrown out 9-5 attempting to advance from 2nd to 3rd after F-9

ATTENDANCE: 24 

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 70's