Spring Training Game Thirty-Six: Cubs (17-16-1) vs. A's (15-17-1)
Game Time - 3:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: None - Radio: Gameday Audio (MLB.com)
Location - Phoenix Municipal Stadium, Phoenix
Carlos Zambrano (3-1, 3.27/0.95) vs. Dallas Braden (1-0, 3.14/1.05)
Countdown to Opening Day...5 days. The Cubs last road game in Arizona and the final game with a 3:05pm C.T. start time. The exhibition season is almost over.
Carlos Zambrano's final spring start figures to be a short tune-up just to get work in...Zambrano completed six strong innings his last time out against the White Sox. With the teams using the DH today, Zambrano will not be able to take his swings and will likely call it a day around the four-inning mark.
Today will be an exhibition battle of Opening Day starters...
Carlos Zambrano has put together a solid spring after a winter filled with doubt and questions over his health. Zambrano has allowed eight runs, all earned, on 16 hits in five starts (22 innings) with five walks and 18 strikeouts. Zambrano has also knocked the cover off the ball...and when Z hits, Z is happy and Z performs better on the mound.
The Cubs will face southpaw Dallas Braden today, who is inline to be Oakland's Opening Day starter. The lefty has allowed five runs this spring, all earned, on 13 hits in four games, three starts (14 1/3 innings) with two walks and 10 strikeouts.
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball...
Today's lineup with Big Z hitting...no DH for the Cubs:
Soriano - LF
Miles - 2B
Lee - 1B
Bradley - RF
Ramirez - 3B
Johnson - CF
Soto - C
Theriot - SS
Zambrano - P
Good comment about "when Z hits". Guess ol' Lou must have heard you, Neil
Z a quick 1-2-3 first inning. Scoreless after 1 2/3
Z wild in the 2nd. Two walks and hit a batter. Bases loaded, 2-outs. Soto going out for the second time in the inning.
Got out of it. Ellis with a fly out to left center on a 3-1 pitch. Scoreless at the end of 2
Soriano leadoff double in the third. Miles sac bunt, Lee RBI single to left center
1-0 Cubs
Soto with a GRAND SLAM to center...6-0 Cubs
Holliday 2-out RBI single, scored Cabrera. 2 hits, but threw more strikes.
6-1 Cubs end of 3
Z out with 1-out in the bottom of the 4th. Vizcaino in.
Travis Buck, 2-run homer off Vizcaino in the 4th. 6-3 Cubs bottom of the 5th
Soto with his second home run of the day in the 6th
Cotts imploding in the 8th again. Allowed 3 runs to a bunch of minor leaguers...1st and 3rd, 1 out. Cubs up 8-7
Hoffpauir's error at first allowed tying run to reach in the 9th. A sac bunt and a single later, game tied in the 9th.
Samardzija on the mound.
Game called after 9
So...other than Vizcaino/Cott's implosion, and Hoff's error, we were solid.
It's unfortunate that Hendry/Pinella is in the position that they are in with regards to the $$ Vizcaino is making and his spot on the team. Be that as it may, it is what it is, and if neither of those guys gets a single inning this next season, I'm fine with that.