Bote Is Back at Diamondbacks Black

Miguel Pabon and Brayan Altuve laced run-scoring singles, Felix Stevens and Reivaj Garcia singled, walked, and scored one run a piece, Raino Coran reached base three times on two singles and a walk and gunned down a runner trying to score from 2nd base on a line-drive single to RF, fireballin' RP Alfredo Zarraga struck out three of the last four men he faced (all three swinging) to protect the lead and record the win, and catcher Moises Ballesteros threw out a runner attempting to steal second base to end the game after earlier picking a runner off 2nd base to blunt a potential 4th inning rally, as the Cubs scored a late tie-breaking run and edged the Diamondbacks Black squad 3-2 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Thursday morning on Whilrlwind Field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, east of Scottsdale, AZ.  

Danyer Sanabria drilled an RBI single and tripled and scored for the D'backs. 

The game was pre-planned as a seven-inning affair. 

David Bote saw his first game action of 2022 after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder last October. He served as a DH in the game and went 1-3, grounding out in his first two ABs and then reaching base on an infield hit his final time up. Barring a medical setback, Bote will be playing in EXST games through next week, and then he will report to AAA Iowa on 5/23 and begin an official Article XIX-C Minor League Rehab Assignment. Because he was placed on the Cubs MLB 60-day IL during Spring Training, he must spend at least the first 60 days of the MLB regular season on the IL, which means June 6th is the earliest he can be reinstated.  

In EXST Cubs roster news, RHP Dakota Mekkes has completed his EXST rehab and he has moved-up to AAA Iowa (he pitched in just one Cactus League EXST game, and that was two days ago). Also, INF Carlos Sepulveda has been assigned to Iowa (he played in the EXST intrasquad game yesterday, so the move was sudden), and 1B Grayson Byrd has been moved up to South Bend. Like Jake Slaughter and Wyatt Short, Sepulveda and Byrd were left behind at EXST when the four Cubs full-season minor league affiliates left town last month. 

Here is the abridged box score from today's game (Cubs players only): 
CUBS LINEUP:
1. Rafael Morel, 3B: 0-3 (K, F-8 SF, K, P-4, RBI)
2. David Bote, DH #1: 1-3 (5-3, 6-3, 1B)
3a. Cristian Hernandez, DH #2: 0-1 (K) 
3b. Alejandro Rivero, PH-DH: 0-2 (5-3, F-8)
4. Moises Ballesteros, C: 1-3 (6-3, 4-3, 1B) 
5. Felix Stevens, 1B: 1-2 (1B, BB, K, R) 
6. Miguel Pabon, SS: 1-3 (6-3, 1B, K, RBI) 
7. Frank Hernandez, LF: 1-3 (F-9, 4-3, 1B, R) 
8. Reivaj Garcia, 2B: 1-2 (1B, BB, K, R, PO) 
9. Raino Coran, RF: 2-2 (1B, BB, 1B, CS)
10. Brayan Altuve, CF: 1-3 (K, K, 1B, RBI)

CUBS PITCHERS: 
1. Kenyi Perez: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 2 BB, 3 K, 2 WP, 3/0 GO/AO, 39 pitches (20 strikes) 
2. Jose Alcila: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 0/2 GO/AO, 25 pitches (13 strikes) 
3. C. D. Pelham: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 14 pitches (7 strikes) 
4. Yovanny Cabrera: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 0/3 GO/AO, 23 pitches (13 strikes)
5. Alfredo Zarraga: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 0/1 GO/AO, 21 pitches (11 strikes) 

CUBS ERRORS: NONE 

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Moises Ballesteros: 1-1 CS, 1 PO, 2 PB 

CUBS OUTFIELD ASSIST: 
RF Raino Coran - runner thrown 9-2 attempting score from 2nd on a single

ATTENDANCE: 11 

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 80's 

Arizona 
Scoring 
Service 

"Just because it isn't official doesn't mean it didn't happen"