Cubs AZ Instructional League game report

UPDATED / CORRECTED 9/30

Miguel Fabrizio clubbed an opposite-field line-drive two-run HR over the left-centerfield fence, singled, walked, and stole a base, Kevin Alcantara belted an RBI double and an RBI triple and scored a run, Parker Chavers singled, walked, stole two bases, and scored a run, and SP Dakota Chalmers tossed three innings of one-hit shutout ball with five strikeouts, as AZIL Cubs Blue blanked AZIL Cubs Red 4-0 in AZ Instructional League intrasquad game action Wednesday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

The DH was not used in the game.   

The game was called after five innings of play.  

Here is the box score from the game: 

Colorado Rockies 2021 4th round draft pick Hunter Goodman blasted a three-run HR, Rockies 2021 10th round pick Zach Kokoska belted a solo HR and singled, Juan Brito drilled a two-run double and a single, stole a base, and scored a run, Adael Amador (Rockies 2019 $1.5M IFA signing) singled, walked, stole a base, and scored a run, Rockies 2020 1st round pick Zac Veen lashed an RBI single, walked, scored a run, and threw out a runner on the bases from RF, and SP Brayan Castillo hurled four innings of one-hit shutout ball with seven strikeouts and combined with four relievers to throw a four-hitter with 13 strikeouts, as the Rockies whitewashed the Cubs 8-0 in AZ Instructional League game action Tuesday afternoon on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.    

Parker Chavers laced a single and a double for the Cubs in a losing cause. 

The AZIL Cubs have not scored a run since last Thursday, having been shut-out three games in a row. 

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only): 

Angels 2021 9th round draft pick RHP Braden Olthoff hurled three innings of shutout ball with five strikeouts and combined with four relievers on a four-hitter with 15 strikeouts, and Jordyn Adams (Angels 2018 1st round pick) and Arol Vera (Angels 2019 $2M IFA signing) belted back-to-back RBI triples to drive-in the first two runs, Jeremiah Jackson (Angels 2018 2nd round pick) lofted a sacrifice fly to plate another run, and Werner Blakely (Angels 2020 4th round pick) slugged a two-run HR to finish the scoring, as the Angels exploded for five runs in the bottom of the 8th and blanked the Cubs 5-0 in AZ Instructional League game action Monday afternoon on Field #3 at the Diablo Stadium complex in Tempe, AZ. 

In addition to his RBI triple, Jordyn Adams also walked three times. 

Cubs pitchers tossed seven innings of one-hit shutout ball (albeit while issuing six walks) before the Angels' five-run eruption in the bottom of the 8th.   

Catcher Casey Opitz (Cubs 2021 8th round draft pick) threw-out all three runners who tried to steal against him. 

Even though the Angels were ahead 5-0 at home after 8-1/2 innings of play, the bottom of the 9th was played so that all of the Cubs pitchers who were scheduled to throw in the game could get their work. 

The AZIL Cubs have now been held scoreless two games in a row. 

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):  

SP Mitch Myers (A's 12th round pick in 2021 dtaft) and five relievers combined to toss a four-hit shutout and A's 2021 9th round pick Shane McGuire drilled a PH RBI single to highlight a two-run 5th, as the Athletics blanked the Cubs 2-0 in AZ Instructional League game action Saturday morning on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Cubs SP Luis Devers hurled three innings of no-run / no-hit ball for the Cubs. Not counting 2021 draft picks who spent time in Mesa during the course of the ACL season, Devers was (by far) the ACL Cubs top pitching prospect, and probably should be considered one of the Cubs Top 15 pitching prospects going into the 2022 season.  

As was the case with many ACL games and is the case with most AZIL games, the contest was pre-planned as a seven-inning affair.  

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):  

David Calabrese (Angels 2020 3rd round pick) drilled a three-run HR to put his team on the board, Jeremiah Jackson (Angels 2018 2nd round draft pick) blasted a solo HR, doubled and scored, and drew a walk, Werner Blakely (Angels 2020 4th round pick) belted an RBI triple, singled twice, and scored two runs, Arol Vera (Angels 2019 $2M IFA signing) singled twice, walked, reached base on an HBP, scored four runs, and drove-in another, Nataneal Santana singled twice, walked, stole a base, scored a run, and drove-in two more, and Jordyn Adams (Angels 2018 1st round draft pick) collected three singles, as the Angels lashed-out 18 hits en route to an 11-3 pasting of the Cubs in AZ Instructional League game action Tuesday afternoon on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.

Cubs 2021 7th round pick Parker Chavers singled, doubled, and scored a run, Cubs 2020 1st round pick Ed Howard singled twice and scored a run, and Owen Caissie (acquired from the Padres in the Darvish trade) and Miguel Fabrizio collected RBI singles for the Cubs in a losing cause.    

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only): 

Cubs 2021 2nd round draft pick James Triantos clobbered a line-drive solo HR over the LF fence and into the backyard of a house on the north-side of 8th Street, walked, and stole a base, Cubs 2021 17th round draft pick Christian Olivo belted two doubles, scored a run, and drove-in another, Yeison Santana (acquired from the Padres in the Darvish deal) slammed a double high off the LF fence, singled, stole a base, and scored a run, Ronnier Quintero (Cubs #1 IFA signing in 2019) laced an RBI single, walked twice, and scored a run, Cubs 2021 7th round draft pick Parker Chavers hammered a double high off the right-centerfield fence, drew a walk, and made a spectacular diving catch in CF, Cubs 2021 10th round draft pick Peter Matt drilled a two-run single, SP Tyler Schlaffer hurled four innings of two-hit shutout ball with six strikeouts, and Cubs 2021 3rd round draft pick (and Chris Sale look-a-like) LHP Drew Gray struck out eight in relief (all eight outs he recorded were strikeouts), as the Cubs blanked the Athletics 5-0 in AZ Instructional League game action Wednesday afternoon on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.
      
Here is the abridged box score frrom the game (Cubs players only): 

Ezequiel Pagan belted a two-run HR, Matt Mervis blasted a solo HR off the third base-side exterior facade of Sloan Park, Yeison Santana singled twice and drove-in a run, and Parker Chavers (Cubs 2021 7th round pick) singled, walked, stole a base and scored two runs for the Cubs, and Zack Gelof (Oakland Athletics 2021 2nd round draft pick) drilled a two-run triple, a double, and an RBI single, and scored two runs, Max Muncy (A's 2021 1st round pick) singled twice, walked, and scored two runs, and Denzel Clarke (A's 2021 4th round pick) laced an RBI double, walked, reached base on an HBP, and scored a run for the A's, as the two teams played to a 6-6 tie in AZ Instructional League Opening Day game action Tuesday afternoon on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

Here is the abridged box score from the game (Cubs players only):  

After hurling three perfect innings in his previous start, Manuel Espinoza fired three innings of one-hit shutout ball (and threw 75% strikes), and Pablo Aliendo singled twice and drove-in a run and Cam Balego tripled and scored, in Cubs AZ Instructional League intrasquad game action Wednesday afternoon at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.   

The Giants at Cubs AZIL game was canceled, so the Cubs played an intrasquad game instead.   

The five pitchers who were scheduled to pitch in the AZIL game threw in the intrasquad game, and the game was called after 3-1/2 innings of play after all of the pitchers got their scheduled work. 

It wasn't possible to field two full teams because only the players who were set to play in the AZIL game played in the intrasquad game (the other position players retired to the clubhouse after early BP), so there was no DH used in the game and Alfonso Rivas (who is already an accomplished hitter and really doesn't need any more game ABs) played LF for both squads and did not take an AB (he stood out in LF for the entire game -- that's 90 minutes straight defense in 90-degree heat without a break, folks).  

Also, Ethan Hearn played 1B and Yonathan Perlaza (ex-infielder now playing outfield) temporarily moved back to the infield and played 2B. 

Fireballin' RHP Danis Correa labored through one inning of work while throwing almost all secondary stuff (only a couple of high velo FB) after throwing almost all FB in his previous outing, while RHRP Eduarniel Nunez threw almost 100% FB (only two off-speed pitches) and was sitting 95-96 (T-97). Both Corraa and E. Nunez are 21-year old Dominican power bullpen arms who could advance quickly if they can improve their secondaries and FB command (easier said than done, obviously).    

Here is the box score from the game: 

Chase Strumpf blasted a solo HR over the LF fence to account for the only run of what was a very brief Cubs AZ Instructional League intrasquad game played Monday afternoon on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

The Cubs AZIL game at Rockies was canceled, and only two of the Cubs pitchers scheduled to throw in the AZIL game ended up pitching in the intrasquad game.

The game was called with two outs in the top of the third inning after both pitchers completed their scheduled work.  

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.