Yovanny Cuevas

Owen Caissie blasted a two-run HR over the right-centerfield fence just to the right of the CF Batter's Eye in the 4th and a three-run HR just to the left of the CF Batter's Eye (off a LHP) in the 5th, Yovanny Cuevas belted a solo HR, Ezequiel Pagan drilled an RBI double, Miguel Fabrizio laced a two-run single, and SP Porter Hodge fired four innings of shutout ball on just 38 pitches, as the Cubs trounced the Rockies 11-5 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Tuesday afternoon on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa,AZ.  

The game was called after eight innings of play. 

Over their first six Cactus League Extended Spring Training games, the Cubs are 3-2-1. 

With his two HR today, Owen Caissie has now reached base safely in 13 of his 18 PA over the course of the Cubs first six Cactus League EXST games, including two homers, four doubles, four sngles, and three walks (he's hitting a robust 667/722/1.333 - 2.055 OPS).  

Cubs top 2019 J-2 IFA signing Ronnier Quintero made his pro game debut, beginning the game at DH and then finishing the game at catcher. He went 0-3 -- K-swinging in his first AB in the 2nd inning, then a 3-U GO in the 4th, and a 6-3 GO in the 6th, before reaching base on a HBP in the 8th and scoring on Fabrizio's RBI single. He was clearly gassed after running the bases in the 110-degree heat in the bottom of the 8th, and after a delay in the top of the 9th while he downed the contents of a water bottle at home plate after warming up the pitcher, he was able to finish the game. 

While this was his pro game debut. Quintero did attend post-season AZ Instructs last October in Mesa, but he did not play in any AZIL games (not even as a DH). Rather, he spent 100% of his time learning the catching trade, and was the bullpen catcher at all of the games, in addition to catching as much "live" BP and as many side-bullpen sessions as he could handle.   

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

Christopher Morel drilled a two-run double in the 1st, doubled and scored in the 6th, reached base on an HBP in the 8th, and stole a base, Yovanny Cuevas belted a two-run triple, doubled and scored, walked, and stole a base, and Eduarniel Nunez hurled three innings of one-hit shutout ball, in Cubs Extended Spring Training intrasquad game action Sunday night on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

The game was pre-planned as an eight-inning affair. 

Here is the box score from the game:  

Nic Motley doubled twice, walked, and collected two RBI, Tyler Bugner singled twice, stole two bases, and scored twice, and RHSP Pearson McMahan hurled five innings of two-hit/one-run ball (retiring the first nine men and the last six men he faced), helping the Rockies edge the Cubs 7-6 in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Wednesday morning on Field #5 on John Arguello Way at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ. 

Luis Hidalgo smacked a three-run HR, Luis Vazquez drilled a single and an RBI double and scored a run, Reivaj Garcia singled, doubled, and scored a run, and Yovanny Cuevas belted an RBI triple and drove-in another run with an RBI GO for the Cubs in a losing cause. 

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

Prior to the game, LHSP Justin Steele (July 2017 TJS) threw "live" BP (two innings - 35 pitches) on Field #4 and it went very well (FB velo good and flashed a plus-CH). Next step is three innings (45 pitches), and then he will begin to throw a breaking ball.  

In EXST Cubs roster news, RHSP Erick Leal (missed 2017 season with a non-TJS elbow injury) has completed his rehab and has rejoined Myrtle Beach, replacing RHRP Elvis Diaz on the Pelicans roster (E. Diaz was released). In addition, RHP Kyle Miller (Cubs 2015 19th round draft pick - Florida Atlantic) has been released from Extended Spring Training. (K. Miller had a lot of difficulty throwing strikes at Minor League Camp and was left behind in Mesa to work on his mechanics when Myrtle Beach departed Arizona at the end of March, but he was unable to overcome the problem). 

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

Yovanny Cuevas (RBI triple), Cam Balego (two-run single), Jonathan Sierra (RBI single), and Fernando Kelli (RBI single) contributed run-scoring hits and LHSP Brailyn Marquez and four relievers combined to hurl a five-hitter, as the Cubs cruised to a 7-1 victory over the Diamondbacks in Cactus League Extended Spring Training game action Tuesday morning on Field #1 at the Riverview Baseball Complex in Mesa, AZ.  

The defensive gem of the game was turned-in by Cubs SS Luis Vazquez, who made a spectacular back-handed diving catch (at full-speed and with full extension) in short LF at the foul line, quickly righted himself, and then threw a laser-strike to 1st base to double-off the shocked/amazed D'backs baserunner to end the top of the 7th inning. (To prove he isn't ready for MLB just yet, Vazquez made a fielding error on an easy grounder to short in the top of the 9th).   
 
Recently-signed OF Lane Adams served as a DH in the game for the Cubs and got three AB, walking and scoring in the 1st, flying out to the warning track in CF in the 2nd, and striking out (swinging) on a 3-2 breaking ball in the 4th. Adams elected free-agency after being sent outright to AAA Gwinnett by the Atlanta Braves on April 25th,.and he officially signed with the Cubs today. He is at Extended Spring Training partly because he hadn't played in a game in about three weeks, and partly because there is not (at present) room for him at AAA Iowa.

The 28-year old Adams was one of the better "4th outfielders" in MLB last year, hitting 275/339/468 in 85 games with the Braves. But his best attribute is base-stealing. He swiped 25 bags last year, ten with Atlanta (no CS) and 15 for AAA Gwinnett prior to getting called up, after stealing 38 in AA in both 2013 and 2014, 31 in AA/AAA in 2015, and 44 in AA/AAA in 2016. 

Adams played in the Cubs organization in 2016 (first at AA Tennessee and then at AAA Iowa) after being released by the Yankees (he was released from AA Trenton to make room for OF Billy McKinney after the Yanks acquired McKinney as part of the Aroldis Chapman trade, so in a way Adams signing with the Cubs in 2016 was indirectly a result of the Chapman deal), and he was actually "on the bubble" for a potential September call-up to Chicago that season as a "5th outfielder" (late-inning pinch-runner and defensive replacement), but he never got the call.

In EXST Cubs roster news, Cubs 2017 5th round draft pick OF Nelson Velazquez (P. J. Education School - Carolina, PR) has been promoted to South Bend.  

Here is the abridged box score from today's 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):   

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):