Cubs Extended Spring Training game report

SP Richard Morban hurled four innings off shutout ball and Kevin Richards drilled an RBI double with two outs in the 7th inning to tie the game and lofted a sacrifice fly to drive-in what proved to be the winning run in the top of the 9th, as the Athletics Green squad rallied to edge the Cubs "A" team 3-2 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Monday morning on Field #5 at the Riverview Baseball Complex on John Arguello Way in Mesa, AZ. 

Fernando Kelli singled, stole two bases, scored a run, and drove-in another with a squeeze bunt for the Cubs. 

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

Rochest Cruz laced two RBI singles and an RBI double and scored two runs, Jonathan Soto singled twice, reached base on an HBP, scored a run, and drove-in another, and Widimer Joaquin belted a solo HR over the LF berm, helping the Cubs "B" team defeat the Angels 9-5 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Saturday morning at Diablo Stadium in Tempe, AZ.

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

Wladimir Galindo (recently demoted to EXST from Myrtle Beach) collected three hits and drove-in two runs and SP Yunior Perez and four relievers combined on a five-hitter with twelve strikeouts, helping the Cubs "A" Team defeat the Angels 5-3 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday morning on Field #3 at the Diablo Stadium Complex in Tempe, AZ.  

Baseball America's #18 Cubs prospect as recently as two years ago, the 22-year old Galindo was hitting just 125/222/150 with 14 K in 13 games (45 PA) for the Pelicans prior to being sent to EXST. (Galindo hit just 216/276/313 with 124 K in 114 games at Myrtle Beach last season).   

The Cubs stole four bases against Angels catcher (and former Cub) Michael Cruz (no CS plus one E-2 throwing error), and all four of those runners ended up scoring. The last time the two teams played with Cruz in the Angel lineup, the ex-Cub was plunked on the upper right arm by a pitch.  

SS Jeremiah Jackson (LAA 2018 2nd round draft pick - St. Luke's Episcopal School - Mobile, AL) belted a solo HR (103 MPH exit velo vs. a 95 MPH Yunior Perez FB) leading off the bottom of the 1st inning for the Angels. (Jackson laced two doubles and scored two runs in the Angels victory over the Cubs at Riverview this past Wednesday). On the negative side, Jackson also uncorked a wild throw to 1st base (E-6) in the top of the 9th that eventually led to the Cubs scoring an insurance run.  

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

Erich Uelmen made his first game appearance of 2019, firing three innings of one-hit shutout ball in an Extended Spring Training intrasquad game Thursday morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex on John Arguello Way in Mesa, AZ. 

Throwing with a low three-quarters delivery that had some of the RH hitters bailing out, Uelmen combined a 91-92 (T-93) two-seam FB with a hard-breaking slider. Once he's stretched out, Uelmen should fit nicely in the Myrtle Beach starting rotation.   

Uelmen was shut-down at Minor League Camp about six weeks ago and has been in the Rehab Throwing Program for the past three weeks. 

Here is the abridged box score from the game: 

David Clawson belted a two-run HR and an RBI double, Jeremiah Jackson doubled twice and scored two runs, Adrian Rondon drilled an RBI single, walked twice, and scored a run, and the Angels took advantage of eight walks and an HBP to post a 7-3 victory over the Cubs "B" team in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Wednesday morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex on John Arguello Way in Mesa, AZ. 

Yovanny Cuevas laced a two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the 9th to drive-in the second and third Cub runs (the first run scored on an error in the bottom of the 1st inning).  

RHP Tommy Nance (oblique/hip) looks like he's about ready to re-join AA Tennessee. Nance retired all six men he faced (K, K, F-8, K, K, K), mixing a 94 MPH FB with an 87 MPH slider and a slow CV. Filthy stuff.  

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

Edmond Americaan, Carlos Pacheco, and Luis Diaz stroked RBI doubles for the Cubs, and Patrick Hilson belted a three-run HR, tripled and scored, and singled and scored for the Giants, as the Cubs "A" team and the Giants Black squad battled to a 6-6 ten-inning tie, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Tuesday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

The game was called after ten innings of play.  

17-year old RHP Richard Gallardo (2018-19 IFA - Venezuela - $1M signing bonus) made his professional game debut for the Cubs, getting the start and working 1.1 IP. He allowed two runs on two hits (both singles), issued no walks, and struck out two (one swinging and one looking). He also uncorked a WP. As was the case in his "live" BP session last week, Gallardo mixed a 91-93 MPH FB with a slow CV and had excellent command of both pitches (he threw 75% strikes).    

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

Taking advantage of three walks, three errors (all three on pick-off attempts), two balks, and a WP, the Cubs "B" Team plated three gift runs in the top of the 3rd and then hung-on to edge the Rockies 3-2 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Monday morning on Dust Storm Field at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort east of Scottsdale, AZ.

The Cubs managed only four hits in the game, although Yovanny Cuevas did reach base three times (two walks and a single) and scored a run, Rochest Cruz walked, tripled, and scored a run, and Brandon Vicens doubled and scored a run.

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

Jake Slaughter (two-run double) and Dalton Hurd (RBI triple) stroked back-to-back two-out run scoring XBH to highlight a three-run 8th inning rally that gave the Cubs a 3-2 lead, but the A's took advantage of two errors to plate the tying run in the bottom of the 9th, as the Cubs "A" team and the Athletics Green squad battled to a 3-3 tie in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Saturday morning on Field #4 at the Lew Wolff Training Complex at Fitch Park in Mesa, AZ. 

SP Danis Correa and five relievers combined to hurl a four-hitter for the Cubs. In fact, Cub pitchers retired the first 13 A's batters they faced before allowing a baserunner (a walk), and then did not allow a hit until one out in the bottom of the 6th.  

Correa was especially impressive in his two innings of work, easily retiring all six batters he faced (K, K, F-7, 3-1, 4-3, K) while showing off his 93-96 MPH FB and a much-improved CV (CH still needs work, though). Along with Yovanny Cruz, Jose Albertos, Eduarniel Nunez, Jeremiah Estrada, Yunior Perez, and Kohl Franklin, Correa is smack dab in the middle of the competition for 2019 starting rotation jobs at Eugene.  

The game was pre-planned as an eight inning contest, but was extended an extra half-inning so that all of the Cubs pitchers who were scheduled to throw could get their work. 

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

Ghordy Santos tripled and scored, Jean Pena belted an RBI triple, and SP Sonny Vargas and five relievers combined on a five-hitter, as the Giants Black squad edged the Cubs "B" team 2-1 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Friday morning on Field #2 (AKA "Jim Davenport Field") at Indian School Park in Scottsdale, AZ.   

The Cubs spoiled the Giant shutout in the top of the 9th. Rochest Cruz walked with one out, advanced to 3rd on a two-base E-1 on a pick-off attempt, and scored on a Carlos Morfa RBI single drilled through the 3.5 hole into RF.  

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

Ricardo Verenzuela tripled, singled, scored two runs, and threw out a runner on the bases, and Carlos Morfa and Ervis Marchan drilled consecutive RBI singles to highlight a four-run 4th inning, leading the Cubs "B" team to a 5-1 victory over the Cubs "A"  team in Extended Spring Training intrasquad game action Thursday morning on Field #6 at the Riverview Baseball Complex on John Arguello Way in Mesa, AZ. 

The game was pre-planned as a five-inning contest. 

RHRP Tony Barnette (on Cubs MLB 10-day IL with right shoulder inflammation) hurled a 1-2-3 ten-pitch 2nd inning (K, P-3, F-8), and RHRP Junichi Tazawa tossed a scoreless 3rd (allowed a single, runner erased by a CS) for the "A" team. 

RHP Manuel Espinoza made his pro debut for the Cubs "A" team, allowing a run on one hit (a triple) with one strikeout in one inning of work. The 18-year old Mexican was signed by the Cubs in July 2017, but he did not pitch in 2018 while his signing was under investigation by MLB. (He signed the same day as fellow Mexican RHP Florencio Serrano Jr, whose contract was voided by MLB last June).   

Prior to the game on Field #6, three of the four youngest Cubs pitchers at EXST (Manuel Espinoza is the other one) threw "live" BP on Field #5 (two "innings" - 30 pitches each). 17-year old Venezuelan RHP Richard Gallardo (the Cubs #1 IFA signing in the current ISP) got swings & misses with a 91-93 MPH FB and a plus-CV, and he also threw a couple of decent CH; 17-year old Venezuelan LHP Joel Machado was sitting 85-86 with his FB, but he had a solid CV and so-so CH that he was able to mix & match with his FB; and 18-year old 6'3 210 Dominican RHP Willy Cabrera's FB was impressive at 92-94 MPH (T-95) in addition to an 88-90 MPH CH and a sharp-breaking CV, but he had difficulty commanding his stuff (not too surprising considering he walked 50 in just 25.2 IP in the DSL in 2018!).

Here is the box score from the game: