Spring Training Game Seven – Cubs 6, Indians 10
WP – Shaun Marcum (1-0) LP – Blake Parker (0-1) Save – None
Jorge Soler, Javier Baez and Kris Bryant launched home runs in consecutive at bats to start the fourth inning. And Welington Castillo tied the exhibition game with a solo homer of his own in the sixth. But despite hitting four home runs, the Cubs committed four errors and the bullpen could not keep the Indians off the board as Joe Maddon’s team slipped to 0-6-1 in the Cactus League.
The Indians jumped out to an early lead and scored four runs in the first three innings off Travis Wood. The Cubs defense had a rough day and was charged with three of the four miscues in the first three innings. But the defense committed more mental errors than the physical ones they were charged for on Tuesday afternoon.
Travis Wood was hung with four runs, two earned, on seven hits with no walks and two strikeouts in three innings. Wood’s second start wasn’t nearly as good as his first outing of the spring. While he received little help from his teammates, the Indians squared up Wood extremely well.
Pierce Johnson completed two scoreless innings in his second appearance in the Cactus League.
After the Cubs tied the game at four in the sixth, the bullpen of Blake Parker, Joseph Ortiz, Corey Black and Donn Roach struggled. The Indians scored a single run in the sixth, four more times in the seventh and again in the eighth.
Parker, Ortiz, Black and Roach were charged with six runs, three earned, on eight hits with one walk and two strikeouts in three innings.
For the game, Cubs pitching allowed 10 runs, five earned, on 16 hits with three walks and seven strikeouts.
Following a sloppy bottom of the third inning, the young power hitters changed the storyline of Tuesday’s game.
Jorge Soler (1-for-3 with a home run), Javier Baez (1-for-3 with a home run and no strikeouts) and Kris Bryant (2-for-3 with a home run and an error) went back-to-back-to-back with tape measure home runs to lead off the top of the fourth against Trevor Bauer. Soler and Baez hit their home runs past the left field concourse and Bryant drilled his shot over the wall in right center.
Welington Castillo (2-for-3 with a home run) played an excellent game. Castillo not only tied the game at four in the sixth with a solo shot of his own, he also threw out two would be base stealers at second base, one was Michael Bourn.
The Cubs last two runs scored in the ninth inning after a Gleyber Torres (1-for-1 with a double and a run scored) double, a Kyle Schwarber (1-for-1 with a RBI) single and a Matt Szczur (1-for-2 with a double and a RBI) double.
The mental mistakes were concerning early in the game. Javier Baez did not pick a throw from Addison Russell that allowed the Indians to take an extra base. And Junior Lake and Arismendy Alcantara did not communicate on a catchable ball hit into left center by Carlos Santana. The ball fell in between the two fielders and Santana was given a double.
While the Cubs errors and mental mistakes stuck out early, Welington Castillo and Jorge Soler showed the team can play defense. Castillo showcased his rocket arm with the two caught stealing and Soler made another strong, accurate throw from right field that almost nailed Ryan Rayburn tagging from third in the third inning.
The Cubs host the Dodgers at Sloan Park on Wednesday afternoon. Jon Lester is scheduled to face Zack Greinke.