Spring Training Game Twenty-Seven – Cubs (ss) 5, Reds 9
WP – Aroldis Chapman (1-0) LP – Gonzalez Germen (0-1) Save – None
The bullpen day went as expected. The Reds jumped out to an early lead Saturday afternoon and the offense could not keep up as the Cubs’ split squad dropped the exhibition game in Goodyear.
The Cubs used five minor league relievers Saturday afternoon and several of the Reds regulars took advantage of the overmatched pitching staff. Gonzalez Germen started the game and could not record three outs before giving up four runs on four hits and three walks. Germen struck out two, the only two outs he recorded.
The Cubs regulars got their work in Saturday afternoon.
Dexter Fowler went yard Saturday. Arismendy Alcantara played third, recorded a hit and stole a base. Starlin Castro doubled in four trips to the plate. Javier Baez collected two singles and struck out only one time hitting ninth in the lineup. And Jorge Soler reached base twice with a hit and a walk and drove in another run.
The Reds had an 8-0 lead after four innings before the Cubs were able to get on the board.
Gonzalez Germen, Frank Batista and Jorge De Leon allowed a combined nine runs on 11 hits with five walks and seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Francisley Bueno tossed 1 1/3 innings of scoreless ball in relief of Germen and Joseph Ortiz pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning.
The Cubs did nothing against Aroldis Chapman and Manny Parra in the first two innings. The offense woke up a little against Tony Cingrani and finally put runs on the scoreboard in the fifth against Nate Adcock.
Javier Baez (2-for-4 with a run scored and a strikeout) led off the fifth inning with a single to center. Dexter Fowler (2-for-4 with a home run, a stolen base, a RBI and two runs scored) singled to right. Baez advanced to third and scored on an Arismendy Alcantara (1-for-4 with a stolen base and a RBI) single to right. Fowler advanced to third on the play.
Jorge Soler (1-for-3 with a walk and a RBI) collected another RBI when he grounded out to third and plated Fowler, 8-2 Reds.
The Cubs tried to make a game of it in the seventh.
Dexter Fowler led off the inning with a solo homer to right off Ben Klimesh. After Alcantara struck out swinging, Jorge Soler worked a walk. Anthony Giansanti ran for Soler and advanced to third on a double to left off the bat of Starlin Castro (1-for-4 with a double). Gleyber Torres took over at second for Castro.
Junior Lake (1-for-4 with a stolen base and two RBI) singled to right. Giansanti and Torres scored, 8-5 Reds. Lake swiped second with Welington Castillo (0-for-4) at the plate. But Castillo and Mike Olt (0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts) struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Cubs scored five runs on eight hits with three walks and struck out 15 times against Reds pitching on Saturday afternoon.
The Cubs last Sunday in Arizona will be spent in Surprise taking on the Kansas City Royals. Edwin Jackson is scheduled to face Edinson Volquez.