Spring Training Game Twenty-One – Cubs (ss) 7, Team Japan 5
WP – Jensen Lewis (1-0) LP – Tekeru Imamura (0-1) Save – None
In what was technically an exhibition game in which none of the stats will count, the Cubs walked off with a win over Team Japan on Friday afternoon at HoHoKam Park.
Javier Baez (3-for-4 with two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored) had a huge day at the plate that included a walk-off two-run homer in the ninth. Baez made it a 5-4 game in the seventh with a tape measure shot off Kenji Otonari. Dan Vogelbach (1-for-4 with a RBI) singled in the tying run in the eighth and set it up for Baez’s dramatics in the ninth. Baez called his walk-off home run, he told Welington Castillo, who was in the on deck circle, that he would not be hitting.
The Cubs jumped out to a 3-0 lead on a sac fly RBI off the bat of Alfonso Soriano (0-for-2 with a RBI), a run scoring double by Dave Sappelt (3-for-4 with a double, a RBI and three runs scored) and a RBI single by Josh Vitters (1-for-3 with a RBI) in the first inning.
Travis Wood could not hold the lead and gave up five runs, four earned, on seven hits with no walks and four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. But the Cubs’ pen did not allow a run over the last 4 1/3 innings. Cory Wade, Rafael Dolis, Casey Coleman and Jensen Lewis put up zeros and gave the offense a chance in the exhibition game.
Christian Villanueva (1-for-2 with a double) led off the ninth with his first non-home run hit of the spring. Villanueva was on board for Baez’s second home run.
Video of Baez’s Home Run from Boys of Spring
Click here from photos from Boys of Spring
Saturday is another split squad day for the Cubs. Half of the Cubs’ roster will face the Rangers at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Jeff Samardzija against Nick Tepesch, while the other half will host the Royals at HoHoKam Park, Hisanori Takahashi against Bruce Chen.