Kwang-Min Kwon drilled an RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th to plate Tyler Pearson with the winning run, lifting the Cubs to a 7-6 victory over the Rockies in Cactus League Extended Spring Training action Saturday morning at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ.
Gustavo Polanco drilled a one-out game-tying two-run double off the LF fence (near HR) and Roberto Caro followed one out later with a two-out walk-off line-drive game-winning RBI single, as the Cubs Eugene/Mesa squad (Extended Spring Training group) rallied for four runs in the bottom of the 9th to edge los Toros de Tijuana (Mexican League) 10-9 in Minor League Camp game action Thursday morning on Field #3 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.
Adonis Paula belted a two-run double and a single and scored two runs, Yohan Matos ripped a two-run double and an RBI single, and Kwang-Min Kwon tripled and singled and scored a run to aid the Cub cause, and Isaac Rodriguez slugged a two-run HR and singled, Dustin Martin hammered a two-run triple and walked twice, and Edson Garcia rifled a two-run triple for los Toros in a losing cause.
Los Toros are one of three Mexican League teams taking Spring Training at the Kino Sports Complex (formerly known as "Tucson Electric Park" when the White Sox and Diamondbacks based their Spring Training there) in Tucson. (Pericos de Puebla and Rojos del Aguila de Veracruz are the other two Mexican League clubs sharing the facility with los Toros), and in addition to playing games against each other in Tucson, the three Mexican League clubs have also been playing games against MLB minor league affiliates in the Phoenix area during the month of March. (Mexican League Opening Day is April 1st).
The Cubs have signed nine players out of Mexico over the last 18 months, and six just in the 2015-16 IFA alone (the same number they have signed so far out of Venezuela in the 2015-16 IFA). So the Cubs--and more specifically Mexico Area Scout Sergio Hernandez--have really been going hard after Mexican talent lately.
Three of the players signed by the Cubs out of Mexico over the past couple of years (RHSP Jesus Camargo, shortstop Isaac Paredes, and catcher Kevin Zamudio) played in the game against Tijuana, and you could see that the trio were stoked to compete against los Toros.
Cubs Spring Training Depth Chart
Minor League Camp Rosters (updated daily)
Here is the box score from the game: