Cubs Extended Spring Training game report

Yairo Munoz collected four hits (three singles and a double), drove-in two runs, and scored another, Jarrett Costa belted a two-run double, Jeramiah McCray drilled a two-run triple, and Jordan Diaz ripped two doubles, drove-in two runs, and scored two more, as the Athletics rode an 18-hit attack (including five doubles and a triple) en route to a 14-6 derailment of the Cubs in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Monday morning on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ.    

The Cubs scored five of their six runs in the first three innings, taking an early 5-3 lead.

Elliot Soto reached base on an HBP leading off the game, took third on a one-out Kevin Corneluis single, and scored on a Michael Cruz RBI double, Corneluis then scored on a Jonathan Sierra sacrifice fly.   

Fidel Mejia reached base on an HBP leading-off the top of the third, took second on a passed ball, advanced to third on an Elliot Soto single, and then scored on a Zach Davis infield hit (with Soto alertly taking 3rd on the play). Corneliuis followed with a sacrifice fly to tally Soto, and Sierra cracked an RBI double to drive-in Davis from 1st base with the third run of the inning.   

The Cubs scored their final run in the top of the sixth. Kevin Cornelius singled (taking 2nd on an E-7), and then scored on a Michael Cruz RBI single.

Elliot Soto (on Iowa 7-day DL - left foot injury) saw his first game action in six weeks, playing shortstop for five innings, reaching base all three times up (HBP, a single, and a walk), and scoring two runs. He also made a nice play in the field on a 6-3 GO (Soto is one of the best defensive shortstops in pro ball). 

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

Luis Lara slugged a two-run HR and a triple, Raymel Flores laced a bases-loaded three-run triple and a single, and Juan Araujo belted an RBI triple and a single, as the Diamondbacks rallied from an early 5-1 deficit to eventually outslug the Cubs 13-7 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Saturday morning on Whirlwind Field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ. 

Jose Gutierrez tripled and scored on an Aramis Ademan RBI GO and Kevin Cornelius walked and Miguel Amaya doubled and both scored on a Kwangmin Kwon two-run double into the RF corner as the Cubs scored three times in the top of the 1st, Orian Nunez clubbed a solo HR leading-off the inning and Fernando Kelli doubled and scored on a two-out RBI single by Ademan in the 2nd to give the Cubs a 5-1 lead, and then after the Diamondbacks tied it up with a four-run 4th, Henderson Perez tripled off the right-centerfield fence and Rafael Narea knocked him in with an RBI double into the LF corner and scored later in the inning on an error as the Cubs scored twice in the 6th to take back the lead 7-5, only to watch the D'backs score eight unanswered runs over the final three innings to grab the victory. 

Through the first three weeks of Cactus League Extended Spring Training games, the Cubs are 7-8-3, after starting 5-1.     

Kevin Cornelius (selected from the New York Yankees AA Trenton affuliate in the AAA Phase of the 2016 Rule 5 Draft) saw his first game action of 2017 after fracturing his left hand in Minor League Camp. He played 1B for five innings and went 1-2 in three PA (the previously-mentioned first-inning walk, an F-9 FO in the 2nd, and a double in the 4th).  

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

RHSP Javier Salas (four innings, one run, two hits, two walks, two strikeouts, and 8/1 GO/AO) and two relievers combined to fire a four-hitter, Zach Clark and Nick Roscetti lofted sacrifice flies (Clark in the 3rd and Roscetti in the 5th), and 5'3 Jose Gomez (the shortest player in affiliated ball) laced an opposite-field two-run single in the 6th to cap the Brewers scoring, as the Brew Crew defeated the Cubs 5-2 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday morning on Field # 7 (AKA "Paul Molitor Field") at the Maryvale Baseball Park in Phoenix, AZ.    

Kevin Zamudio had two of the four Cub hits and drove-in both Cub runs (RBI double in the 1st and RBI single in the 7th).   

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

Jacy Cave ripped an RBI single and an RBI double and scored a run, Andrew Yerzy drove-in two runs with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, and RHSP Mitch Akers hurled three innings of one-hit shutout ball and combined with three relievers on a four-hitter, helping the Diamondbacks defeat the Cubs 7-1 on Field #5, and D'backs RHSP Luis Madero and RHRP Rubby de la Rosa retired the first twelve batters they faced (seven on strikeouts) and Eduardo Diaz belted a double in the 1st inning and an RBI single in the 3rd, but the Cubs plated the tying run in the 5th on a HBP, a WP, a walk, and a Carlos Diaz RBI single and Cub relievers retired twelve of the last 14 men they faced, as the Cubs and Diamondbacks played to a 1-1 tie on Field #6, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training doubleheader action Thursday morning at Riverview Park in Mesa, AZ.

Aramis Ademan singled twice, stole a base, and drove-in the lone Cub run on Field #5. 

The game on Field #5 was called after seven innings of play, and the game on Field #6 was called after 7-1/2 innings 

INF Jemile Weeks (on Iowa 7-day DL - right ACL sprain suffered in MLB Cactus League Spring Training game two months ago) took pre-game BP on Field #3 but he did not play in either game, and there is still no sign of OF Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL - right shoulder injury) since last Friday when he played four innings in LF in an EXST game at Riverview Park. 

In EXST Cubs roster news, RHRP David Garner has been moved up to AA Tennessee. 

Here are the abridged box scores from today's games (Cubs players only):  

Orian Nunez (two-run double) and Jose Gutierrez (two-run triple) stroked run-scoring hits to highlight a five-run 7th, as the Cubs rallied from a 6-1 deficit to tie the Athletics 6-6 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Wednesday morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

LHSP Ivan Andueza tossed three innings of one-hit shutout ball and Anthony Churlin laced an RBI triple, singled twice, and scored two runs for the A's in a losing cause. 

For the Cubs, Aramis Ademan tripled and scored in the 4th, Jonathan Sierra drilled an RBI single, walked twice, and stole a base, Gustavo Polanco singled twice and scored a run, Orian Nunez collected two doubles (one in the 3rd and the key two-run double in the 7th), and Jose Gutierrez doubled in the 6th before belting his big two-run triple in the 7th. 

The game was called after eight innings of play. 

LHSP Ryan Kellogg was scheduled to start the game for the Cubs, but he was moved-up to Myrtle Beach today. 

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

RHSP Jesus Tinoco hurled five innings of two-hit one-run ball and Nate Coronado belted a two-out two-run HR to cap a three-run 7th, as the Rockies rallied to edge the Cubs 3-2 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Tuesday morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

The game was extended an extra half-inning so that all of the Rockies pitchers who were scheduled to throw in the game could get their work. 

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

Robinson Medrano belted a three-run HR to give the Giants "black" squad a 5-2 lead in the top of the 6th, and Aranmis Ademan rifled a game-tying RBI single for the Cubs in the bottom of the 7th, as the two teams played to a 5-5 tie in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Monday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.

The game was called after eight innings of play so that Cubs Extended Spring Training players, managers, coaches, and staff who were members of the Cubs organization in 2016 could receive their World Series Championship rings (presented by Team President Theo Epstein in a ceremony in the UAPC auditorium).

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

Jorge Perez rifled a two-run triple to highlight a three-run 3rd, Connor Owings drilled a two-run single in the 4th, and Luke Lowery ripped a two-run double in the 5th, leading the Diamondbacks to an 8-5 victory over the Cubs on Quail Field, and Chris Dominguez slugged a two-run HR in the 4th to give the Cubs a 3-2 lead and Andruw Monasterio followed an inning later with an RBI single, as the Cubs rallied to edge the Diamondbacks 4-3 on Whirlwind Field, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training doubleheader action Saturday morning at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ. 

Both games were pre-planned as seven-inning affairs. 

Kevin Zamudio and Christopher Morel each clubbed a two-run HR in the top of the 4th on Quail Field as the Cubs rallied to take a 4-3 lead in the "A" game, and then after the D'backs plated two runs in bottom of the 4th on the Owings two-run single to go ahead 5-4, Yovanny Cuevas belted a game-tying solo HR for the Cubs in the top of the 5th. The Diamondbacks then took advantage of three Cubs errors in the bottom of the 5th to score three unearned runs off unlucky reliever David Garner that provided the Snakes with their margin of victory. 

Francis Martinez hammered a solo HR in the bottom of the 1st to put the Diamondbacks on the board in the "B" game on Whirlwind Field, but the Dominguez two-run HR and the Monasterio RBI single turned the game in the Cubs favor in the 4th & 5th, and RHRP Elvis Diaz sealed the deal for the Cubs with an easy eight-pitch save.   

In EXST roster news, CF Jacob Hannemann (March 2017 right knee injury) has completed his EXST rehab assignment and has rejoined the AA Tennessee Smokies. Hannemann hit a robust 333/455/722 in six Cactus League EXST games (22 PA), collecting three doubles, four walks, two SB, three RBI, two runs scored, and two sacrifice bunts. He struck out only twice in the 22 PA.   

Also, 21-year old LHP Jose MacDonna (2015 IFA - Dominican Republic) made his U. S. debut in the game on Whirlwind Field. The lanky lefty allowed a run on two hits and a walk in one inning of work. 

The Cubs are 7-4 through their first eleven Cactus League EXST games. 

Here are the abridged box scores from the two games (Cubs players only): 

Jordan Devencenzi hammered a solo home run, singled twice, and walked, Jermaine Curtis and Alonzo Medina each belted a two-run HR, Jose Lopez singled twice, walked, scored a run, and drove-in another, and Jordan Diaz (two-run double) and Javier Godard (RBI single) drilled run-scoring hits to highlight a four-run 2nd inning, as the Athletics out-slugged the Cubs 12-5 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

Aramis Ademan (two-run blast) and Joe Martarano (solo shot) contributed home runs for the Cubs.  

The game was called with two outs in the bottom of the 9th after the last A's pitcher scheduled to throw in the game reached his pitch limit. 

Eloy Jimenez got the start in LF for the Cubs and played there for four innings before moving to DH. He caught one fly ball and spent most of the rest of his time chasing down extra-base hits and watching HR balls fly over the LF fence. Eloy went 1-2 at the plate (a double and a GIDP).  

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

Kwangmin Kwon (RBI triple), Christopher Morel (RBI double), and Franklin Tineo (two-run single) stroked run-scoring hits, Tolly Filotei tripled and singled and scored a run, Fernando Kelli singled and doubled and scored a run, catcher Miguel Amaya walked, singled, scored a run, and threw-out two runners on the bases, and LHSP Ryan Kellogg tossed three innings of shutout ball, as the Cubs took an early lead and then held-on to edge the Diamondbacks 5-4 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Thursday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

Billy Endris belted a solo HR for the D'backs in a losing cause.

Eloy Jimenez (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL) saw his first game action in the outfield since suffering a right shoulder injury in an MLB Cactus League Spring Training game on March 14th. He played RF for three innings and then moved to a DH slot, getting three AB and going 0-2 with a sac fly RBI.  

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