Fidel Mejia

Luis Vazquez clubbed an opposite-field HR onto the right-centerfield berm on the first pitch of the bottom of the 1st inning, Luis Verdugo blasted a solo HR and singled, and Fidel Mejia laced a two-run double, leading the South Bend Cubs (Hi-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) to a 5-2 victory over the Lansing Lugnuts (Oakland Athletics' Hi-A affiliate) in Cactus League Minor League Camp game action Saturday afternoon at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.  

Marty Bechina belted a solo HR for the Lugnuts in a losing cause. 

The game was called after six innings of play. 

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

Fidel Mejia singled, doubled, walked, and scored two runs, Gustavo Polanco singled twice, drove-in a run, and scored a run, Ed Howard IV drilled an RBI double, and Eury Ramos threw two innings of perfect baseball with five strikeouts, leading the South Bend Cubs (now the Hi-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs) to a 6-4 victory over the Eugene Emeralds (the San Francisco Giants' new Hi-A affiliate in the Northwest League) in Cactus League Minor League Camp game action Wednesday afternoon at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. 

Jacob Gonzalez (son of former major leaguer Luis Gonzalez) clubbed a solo HR for the Ems off converted position player Jerrick Suiter, and then Suiter promptly left the game with an injury (not clear what it was) one pitch into the next batter.     

The Eury Ramos 97-99 MPH FB is both electric and dominating, especially when combined with his filthy 88-91 MPH wipe-out SL. The 23-year old Ramos is scheduled to be a minor league 6YFA post-2021 but he has yet to pitch above Lo-A, so look for him to move very quickly in 2021 if he can remain healthy.    

Here is the abridged box score (Cubs players only)

Fernando Kelli reached base four times (three singles and an HBP), stole a base, collected two RBI, and scored a run, Fidel Mejia ripped an RBI triple and two singles, and Jose A. Gonzalez drilled an RBI double, walked twice, and scored a run, in Cubs Extended Spring Training intrasquad game action Monday night on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

RHSP Jose Albertos continues to struggle with command (mostly by spiking his FB in front of home plate or throwing it over the batter's head), allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits (four singles and a double), four walks, a HBP, and two wild pitches in 3.1 IP (73 pitches), while throwing only 48% strikes. He was, however, also occasionally brilliant, striking out six and getting batters to repeatedly hit his pitches into the ground when he was not recording a punch-out, issuing a walk, hitting a batter, or throwing a WP (4/0 GO/AO).  

Here is the box score from the game: 

RHSP Gregory Santos and four relievers combined to hurl a five-hitter (all five hits were singles) and Ricardo Genoves knocked-in both runs with an RBI GO and a sacrifice fly, as the Giants black squad edged the Cubs 2-1 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Saturday morning on Field #2 (AKA "Jim Davenport Field") at Indian School Park in Scottsdale, AZ. 

Cubs pitchers also allowed only five hits (all singles).

The Cubs scored their lone run in the top of the 2nd inning on three consecutive two-out singles (RBI single by Fidel Mejia).  

In EXST Cubs roster news, OF Luis Ayala (on Myrtle Beach 7-day DL - right shoulder strain) has completed his EXST rehab and has rejoined Myrtle Beach. 

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

RHSP Adbert Alzolay hurled five innings (75 pitches) of one-run ball with seven strikeouts, Yovanny Cuevas knocked-in four runs with a two-run single and a two run double, Gustavo Polanco belted a solo HR and singled twice (including an RBI single), and Fidel Mejia drilled a two-run double and a single and scored twice, leading the Cubs to a 10-2 victory over the Angels in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Saturday morning on Field #6 on John Arguello Way at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.

Prior to the game, RHPs Yovanny Cruz, Eduarniel Nunez, Jesus Tejada, Garrett Kelly, and Stephen Ridings, and LHP Riger Fernandez threw "live" BP on Field #4. Y. Cruz, Fernandez, and Tejada attended AZ Instructs post-2017 but did not pitch in any games, but E. Nunez is making his U. S. debut at Extended Spring Training this year. G. Kelly (ex-MIN) was acquired by the Cubs from Schaumburg (Frontier League) last month but he has not yet pitched in a game. 

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

D. J. Wilson singled twice, stole a base, scored a run, and drove one in, Fidel Mejia singled twice, walked, stole a base, and scored a run, and catcher Johnny Pereda drilled two RBI singles and threw out all four baserunners who tried to steal against him, leading the Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs Hi-A affiliate) to a 5-3 victory over the Inland Empire 66ers (Los Angeles Angels Hi-A affiliate) on Field #3, and RHSP Luis Madero hurled four innings of one-run ball and Brandon Marsh roped a two-out two-run single to cap a three-run 3rd inning, helping the Burlington Bees (Angels Lo-A affiliate) defeat the Cubs Lo-A South Bend affiliate 6-1 on Field #4, in Cactus League Minor League Camp doubleheader game action Sunday afternoon at the Diablo Stadium Complex in Tempe, AZ.    

Myrtle Beach relievers retired the last eleven men they faced on Field #3.  

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

Aramis Ademan and Nelson Velazquez each ripped an RBI triple, singled, walked, and scored two runs, Miguel Amaya drilled a two-run double and a single and scored a run, and Fidel Mejia slugged a three-run HR, helping the Tennessee Smokies (Cubs AA affiliate) trounce the Midland Rockhounds (AA affiliate of the Oakland Athletics) 10-3 on Field #5, and Luke Persico and Collin Theroux roped RBI doubles, Luis Barrera hammered an RBI triple, Skye Bolt clubbed a solo HR, and RHSP Ben Bracewell tossed 2-1/3 innings of one-hit ball, helping the Nashville Sounds (A's AAA affiliate) defeat the Cubs AAA Iowa affiliate 6-4 on Field #6, in Cactus League Minor League Camp doubleheader game action Tuesday afternoon on John Arguello Way at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.

Both games were eight-inning affairs.  

Because the Cubs MLB squad was playing a split-squad doubleheader, most of the Iowa position players were called-up for those games, and as a result the Iowa game featured a number of position-players from the Tennessee squad, and the Tennessee game featured a number of players from the Myrtle Beach and South Bend squads (and in fact it was some of the Cubs top prospects from the lower levels -- Ademan, Velazquez, and M. Amaya -- who had the best performances).   

Iowa Cubs reliever Corey Black (February 2017 TJS) saw his first game action since 2016 in the contest on Field #6, but it did not go too well for the righthander. Black faced three batters and threw 14 pitches (but only three strikes) and left the game with what appeared to be a right arm injury (unknown if it's related to the TJS). 

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