Duane Underwood Jr

Iowa Cubs RHSP Duane Underwood Jr hurled 6.2 IP of two-hit shutout baseball, Henderson Perez belted a two-run HR, and Christopher Morel smacked a solo HR, in Cubs Extended Spring Training intrasquad game action Wednesday morning on Field #6 on John Arguello Way at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

The Morel HR was hit halfway to Scottsdale.

The game was pre-planned as an eleven-inning affair so that all of the pitchers who were scheduled to throw today could get their work.

So it looks like Underwood is ready for his first start with the I-Cubs (probably next Tuesday).

LHRP Kyle Ryan (who was an NRI to MLB Spring Training) followed Underwood to the mound and retired seven of the eight men he faced. (K. Ryan was assigned to Extended Spring Training to get work and stay ready in case he is needed at Iowa).  

LHP Manuel Rondon and RHP Erick Leal also threw in the game (this was the second game appearance for both of them after spending most of Minor League Camp in the Rehab Throwing Program).
 
Here is the box score from the game:

As things stand right now...

Isaac Paredes hammered a solo home run, Kevonte Mitchell blasted a two-run HR, and Robert Garcia (two-run single), Yeiler Peguero (RBI double), and Marcus Mastrobuoni (RBI double) contributed run-scoring hits, leading the Cubs to a 7-2 victory over the Angels at Sloan Park, and Jose Paniagua slugged a two-run HR, Tyler Pearson smacked a solo HR, and Jesus Castillo and three relievers combined to hurl a three-hit shutout, helping the Cubs blank the Angels 3-0 on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training split-squad doubleheader action this morning in Mesa, AZ.   

Jabari Henry belted a solo HR in a losing cause for the Angels at Sloan Park.

Five pitchers combined to toss a one-hit shutout and Didimo Bracho belted a two-run home run and an RBI single to account for all of his team's runs, helping the Diamondbacks blank the Cubs 3-0 at Sloan Park, and D. J. Wilson (two-run triple), Luis Ayala (RBI double), Gustavo Polanco (RBI double), and Jesse Hodges (RBI single) contributed run-scoring hits to highlight a five-run Cub 3rd, as the Cubs and D'backs played to a 7-7 tie on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex, in Cactus League Extended Spring Training split-squad doubleheader action this morning in Mesa, AZ.   

Michael Foster broke up the D'backs no-hit bid in Sloan Park with a one-out single in the bottom of the 9th. 

RHSP Duane Underwood (right ebow stiffness) made his final rehab start in the game at Sloan Park and threw 5.1 IP (78 pitches) of one-run ball, retiring 13 of the first 16 men he faced before running into trouble in the top of the 6th when he allowed three singles and a HBP and surrendered his only run. But he was outstanding through the first five innings, allowing no runs on two hits and a walk with four strikeouts.  

RHRP Dallas Beeler (on Cubs 15-day DL - right shoulder inflammation) made a rehab start in the game played on Field #1 and was hit hard, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits (two singles, a double, a triple, and a home run) and a walk (plus a throwing error) in 3.1 IP (50 pitches).

RHRP Aaron Crow (ex-KC - April 2015 TJS rehab) threw in the game on Field #1, but was unable to complete his inning, allowing a single, a double, and a triple and two runs while retiring only one batter. I couldn't tell if he was lifted because of pitch count or performance issues, but his stuff was subpar today and obviously didn't fool any of the young D'backs hitters.  

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

Isaac Paredes (2015 IFA - Mexico - $800K bonus) tripled, stole a base, scored two runs, and drove-in two more, Vimael Machin (Cubs 2015 10th round draft pick - VCU) knocked-in two runs with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, and LHP Manny Rondon (acquired from LAA for C-1B Rafael Lopez last July) tossed three perfect innings with five strikeouts, leading the Cubs to a 4-2 victory over the Giants in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action this morning at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.

The Cubs stole six bases in the game. 

Ben Turner and John Riley drilled consecutive two-out RBI singles to highlight a two-run first inning for the Giants. 

RHSP Duane Underwood got the start for the Cubs and worked five innings (62 pitches - 43 strikes), allowing the two first-inning runs mentioned above, five hits (a double and four singles), no walks, four strikeouts (all four swinging), and 5/4 GO/AO, and he retired ten of the last eleven men he faced.  

Shane Victorino (calf strain rehab) played LF for seven innings and went 0-3 (5-3, L-5 DP, F-9).  

John Arguello has game notes at Cubs Den. 

link 

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

Andrew Daniel (Angels) belted an RBI double in the 2nd inning and a two-run double in the 6th, Charcer Burks (Cubs) walked and scored in the 6th and drilled a game-tying RBI single with two outs in the top of the 9th, and RHP James Pugliese (Cubs) hurled three innings of one-hit ball with six strikeouts (including the last five batters he faced) in relief, as the Angels/Cubs co-op squad rallied to tie the Royals 5-5 in AZ Advanced Instructional League action this morning on Field #2 at the Papago Sports Complex in Phoenix, AZ. 

The game was called by mutual agreement after nine innings of play. 

Duane Underwood Jr got the start for the Angels/Cubs, and after retiring six of the first seven men he faced in his first two innings (K, K, 6-3, K, 2B, K, F-8), the 21-year old right-hander allowed three runs on five hits and a walk (and a WP) in the third and fourth innings. He struck out five over the course of his outing (all five K-swinging), with four of the punch-outs being recorded in the first two innings.  

Narciso Crook bounced a game-tying RBI double down the LF line with one out in the bottom of the 9th and then circled the bases as LF Shawon Dunston Jr over-ran the ball for a walk-off two-base error, as the Reds rallied to edge the Angels/Cubs co-op squad 9-8 in AZ Advanced Instructional League action this morning at Goodyear Ballpark in Goodyear, AZ.

Orlando Calixte collected four hits (three singles and a double), stole two bases, scored a run, drove-in another, and gunned-down a baserunner 9-5 attempting to advance from 1st to 3rd on a single to RF, Andrew Miller drilled an RBI double and a single and scored two runs, and RHRP Torey Deshazier retired all six men he faced to record the save, as the Royals rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to defeat the Angels/Cubs co-op squad 8-6 in AZ Advanced Instructional League action this morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

Andrew Daniel (Angels) ripped a two-run double and a single and scored a run and Jeffrey Baez (Cubs) singled twice, stole a base, scored a run, knocked-in another, and nailed a baserunner 9-5 attempting to advance from 1st to 3rd on a single to RF for the Angels/Cubs squad in a losing cause. 

Cubs #1 pitching prospect RHP Duane Underwood got the start for the Angels/Cubs and worked five innings (68 pitches - 74% strikes), allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits (four singles and a double), with no walks, three strikeouts, and an 8/2 GO/AO. In his first advanced instructs start last Monday (also versus the Royals), Underwood threw four innings of no run/no hit ball, with two walks and five strikeouts. 

Victor Caratini (Cubs) ripped an opposite-field two-out triple into the rightfield corner, Dan Vogelbach (Cubs) followed with an RBI double down the RF line to knock-in Caratini, and Andrew Daniel (Angels) drove-in Vogelbach from 2nd with an RBI ground single to center to open the scoring in the bottom of the 1st inning, and Cubs top pitching prospect RHP Duane Underwood Jr hurled four innings of no run/no hit ball with five strikeouts and combined with four Cub relievers to toss a three hitter, as the Angels/Cubs co-op squad defeated the Royals 4-1 in AZ Advanced Instructional League action this afternoon on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.