Spring Training Game Twenty-Two – Cubs 2, Athletics 14
WP – Drew Pomeranz (1-2) LP – Blake Parker (0-2) Save – None
Kris Bryant hit his ninth home run in the Cactus League and Jorge Soler drove in a run, but Edwin Jackson reported late to the park because he was stuck in traffic and lasted just 1 2/3 innings as the Cubs were pummeled in the team’s return to HoHoKam Park.
Edwin Jackson explained after his outing that he entered the A’s complex into Google Maps and was directed to Oakland’s old facility, Phoenix Municipal Stadium. Jackson said he tried to get from Phoenix to HoHoKam Park in Mesa as quickly as possible but did not make it to the Cubs old Spring Training home until 25 minutes before first pitch.
Edwin Jackson was horrible Tuesday afternoon. Jackson was the scheduled starter but he didn’t make it to the park in time to prepare for the beginning of the game. Jackson replaced Blake Parker, who struggled in his inning of work, at the start of the second inning and the Athletics lit him up.
The A’s squared up everything Jackson threw in the zone. After scoring two runs on two doubles and a wild pitch in the second inning, Oakland scored six runs on seven straight two-out hits in the third and knocked Jackson out of the game.
Based on the volume of hits, especially the extra base variety, Jackson had nothing Tuesday afternoon.
Edwin Jackson was charged with eight runs on nine hits without a walk or a strikeout in 1 2/3 innings. Six of the nine hits he allowed in what was described as batting practice went for extra bases, five doubles and a home run.
Joe Maddon ran out a host of minor leaguers in relief of Jackson following his short outing. Joseph Ortiz became the first Cubs pitcher, in the sixth inning, to keep the A’s off the scoreboard. Cubs’ pitching did not pitch a clean inning on Tuesday afternoon.
Blake Parker is trying to pitch his way on the roster and did not receive any help when he was thrown into the game in the first inning. Parker gave up two runs on a home run by Billy Butler after Ben Zobrist reached on a two out single to extend the inning.
Minor Leaguer Fernando Cruz, LHP Francisley Bueno, RHP Jorge De Leon, LHP Joseph Ortiz, LHP Drake Britton and minor leaguer Frank Batista followed Parker and Jackson. And Britton could find the strike zone. The lefty surrendered an unearned run on one hit and a walk in his inning of work. Cubs’ pitching gave up 14 runs on 18 hits with three walks, two strikeouts and three wild pitches.
The Cubs actually led Tuesday’s game 1-0 in the first inning and had chances early to put runs on the board against Drew Pomeranz before the exhibition game got out of hand. The Cubs managed only one run in the first inning after Javier Baez (0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout) was caught looking with the bases loaded to end the inning. And the Cubs couldn’t push across any runs in the second after Dexter Fowler (1-for-1 with two walks and a stolen base) and Junior Lake (0-for-1 with two walks and a stolen base) walked with two outs.
Kris Bryant (1-for-3 with a home run) provided the Cubs lone highlight of the afternoon. Bryant pulled the first pitch he saw from Drew Pomeranz in the third down the left field line and deep onto the berm. Bryant’s ninth majestic homer of the spring made it a 4-2 game at the time.
Jorge Soler (1-for-2 with a walk and a RBI) singled in Dexter Fowler in the first inning. But the Cubs managed a grand total of six hits with eight walks and seven strikeouts on Tuesday in large part due to Barry Zito shutting them down.
The Cubs were the visiting team at HoHoKam for the first time since 1978 and it’s not likely Tuesday’s game will be forgotten anytime soon.
The Cubs make the trip to Peoria to take on the Mariners under the lights Wednesday night (9:05pm CDT). Travis Wood is scheduled to face Taijuan Walker and Joe Maddon should hand out directions to ensure all of his players know how to get to the park.