Mervis Clout and Rivas Line Drives Rule the Day in Mesa

Matt Mervis crushed a solo HR over the RF fence & 30-foot high screen and off the outside west wall of the stadium across the street, Alfonso Rivas rifled an RBI double and a single and scored run, and Nelson Velazquez walked, stole a base, scored a run, and collected an outfield assist, in Cubs AZ Instructional League intrasquad game action Saturday afternoon on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.
The game was originally scheduled as an AZIL game versus the Giants at Indian School Park in Scottsdale, but the Giants canceled and so the Cubs remained at their complex in Mesa and hastily arranged an intrasquad game on Field #1 so that the three pitchers who were scheduled to throw in the AZIL contest could get their work. (A fourth pitcher who would have traveled to Scottsdale as the "emergency back-up pitcher" did not throw in the intrasquad game). 

The ad hoc intrasquad game was pre-planned as only a four inning affair because there weren't enough Cubs pitchers prepared to throw in a game today to play more innings than that. (The Cubs and Giants would have probably played eight innings if the scheduled AZIL game had been played in Scottsdale).   

The DH was not used in the game (eight-man batting orders were employed instead) to maximize the number of plate appearances each position player would get over the course of four innings.  

Here is the box score from the game: 

SQUAD "A" LINEUP: 
1. Cole Roederer, CF: 0-3 (F-9, 3-6 FC, K, SB) 
2. Jacob Wetzel, LF: 0-3 (L-8, F-8, K)
3. Cam Balego, 3B: 0-3 (K, E-5, 5-3)
4. Nelson Velazquez, RF: 0-1 (BB, K, R, SB)
5. Alfonso Rivas, 1B: 2-2 (2B, 1B, RBI, R)
6. Bryce Windham, 2B: 1-2 (1B, L-1 DP) 
7. Pablo Aliendo, C 1-2 (E-1, 1B) 
8. Luis Vazquez, SS: 1-2 (F-7, 1B)

SQUAD "B" LINEUP:
1. Kevin Made, SS: 1-2 (K, 1B) 
2. Chase Strumpf, 2B: 1-2 (2B, K, R)
3. Felix Stevens, RF: 1-2 (F-8, 1B) 
4. Rafael Morel, 3B: 0-2 (K, K)
5. Yonathan Perlaza, CF: 0-1 (BB, K)
6. Jordan Nwogu, LF: 0-2 (5-4-3 DP, 5-3)
7. Matt Mervis, 1B: 1-1 (HR, R, RBI)
8. Ethan Hearn, C: 0-0 (BB, PO)

SQUAD "A" PITCHERS: 
1. Jose Miguel Gonzalez: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 1 GIDP, 1/1 GO/AO, 27 pitches (14 strikes)
2. Bailey Reid: 2.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 1/0 GO/AO, 32 pitches (21 strikes) 

SQUAD "B" PITCHER: 
Cory Abbott: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 BB, 4 K, 2/5 GO/AO, 71 pitches (44 strikes)

CUBS SQUAD "A" ERRORS: NONE 

CUBS SQUAD "B" ERRORS: 2 
1. 3B Rafael Morel: E-5 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely)
2. P Cory Abbott: E-1 (fielding error allowed batter to reach base safely) 

CUBS SQUAD "A" CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Pablo Aliendo, 1 PB, 1 PO 

CUBS SQUAD "B" CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Ethan Hearn: 0-2 CS 

CUBS SQUAD" B" OUTFIELD ASSIST: 
RF Nelson Velazquez: Baserunner (Kevin Made) thrown out 9-5 attempting to advancce from 1st to 3rd on line-drive single to RF

ATTENDANCE: N/A

WEATHER: Cloudy with temperatures in the 80's 

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