Cub Long Balls Tie Up Rockies at Talking Stick

Jose Escobar (opposite-field line-drive), Alfonsin Rosario (light-tower moonshot), and Bradlee Beesley (hard-contact blast) belted solo home runs, Anderson Suriel doubled, walked and scored two runs, and Adan Sanchez drilled an RBI single, reached base on an HBP, and walked for the Cubs, and Juan Castillo smacked a two-run double and Franklin Lopez laced a two-run triple for the Rockies, as the two teams played to a 6-6 tie in a Cactus League Extended Spring Training game played Monday afternoon on Dust Storm Field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, east of Scottsdale, AZ. 

Cubs pitchers Luis Martinez-Gomez and Wilme Mora combined to walk ten, hit a batter, and throw a wild pitch. 

The game was called after 7-1/2 innings of play. 

The Cubs are now 1-0-3 in their first four Cactus League Extended Spring Training games. 

Rosario's HR was his third in three games (he didn't play in last Tuesday's game), so he has homered in all three Cactus League EXST games in which he has played. (On the pitch prior to Monday's bomb he just missed a HR down the LF line when a line-drive with home run distance hooked foul at the last second). 

INF Derniche Valdez (the Cubs top DSL prospect in 2023) has returned to Extended Spring Training, and he served (quite cheerfully, I might say) as the bat boy and general gopher ("go for this, go for that") during Monday's game. (D. Valdez had been placed on the Restricted List on March 30th for an undisclosed reason).  

CUBS EXTENDED SPRING TRAINING ROSTER: 
https://www.thecubreporter.com/2024-cubs-extended-spring-training-roster

Here is the abridged box score from Monday's game (Cubs players only) 

CUBS LINEUP:
1a. Jose Escobar, LF: 2-3 (HR, K, 1B, R, RBI)
1b. Geuri Lubo, LF: 2-2 (1B, 1B, R) 
2. Angel Cepeda, SS: 1-5 (1B, F-9, F-9, F-9, E-6)
3. Scott McKeon, 3B: 1-5 (F-9, L-8, 4-U FC, 5-3, 1B, RBI)
4. Yahil Melendez, 2B: 0-4 (3-U, F-9, 4-3, BB, K) 
5. Alfonsin Rosario, CF: 1-4 (K, HR, 6-3, K, R, RBI)
6a. Anderson Suriel, 1B: 1-2 (2B, BB, P-3, 2 R) 
6b. Albert Gutierrez, 1B: 0-1 (3-U) 
7a. Adan Sanchez, DH: 1-1 (1B, HBP, BB, RBI)
7b. Jairo Diaz, PH: 0-1 (K) 
8. Bradlee Beesley, RF: 1-4 (5-4 FC, 6-3, P-3, HR, R, 2 RBI)
9. Yidel Diaz, C: 0-3 (5-3, BB, 5-4 FC, K) 
 
CUBS PITCHERS: 
1. Luis Martinez-Gomez: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R (1 ER), 4 BB, 5 K, 1 HBP, 0/1 GO/AO, 55 pitches (27 strikes) 
2. Wilme Mora: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R (3 ER), 6 BB, 1 K, 1 WP, 1/4 GO/AO, 62 pitches (30 strikes) 
3. Gabriel Agrazal: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 2 K, 3/4 GO/AO, 43 pitches (31 strikes) 

CUBS ERRORS: NONE 

CUBS CATCHERS DEFENSE: 
Yidel Diaz: 0-1 CS 

WEATHER: Sunny with temperatures in the 70's 

ATTENDANCE: 14 

Arizona 
Scoring 
Service 

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