Spring Training Game Thirty-One – Cubs 11, Brewers 7
WP – Jason Hammel (3-1) LP – Kyle Lohse (2-1) Save – None
The Cubs went yard four times in the first five innings and Jason Hammel gave up just one run in five innings as the Cubs beat the Brewers in the Cactus League finale on Wednesday afternoon.
After a rough start to the Cactus League schedule, Maddon’s men won their last four exhibition games and finished with a .500 record (15-15-1). The Cubs still have two more practice games left before the season opens Sunday night at Wrigley Field.
It was a good end to the Cubs time at Sloan Park this spring. Dexter Fowler (3-for-3 with a home run, a triple, a walk, two RBI and four runs scored) had a huge day at the top of the lineup. Jorge Soler (2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored) lined his fourth homer of the spring into the berm in left in the fifth … and the ball got out of the park so fast it left a vapor trail.
Anthony Rizzo (1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI) went opposite field off Lohse in the third with two on base. And Tommy La Stella drove his first homer of the spring to left leading off the third.
Miguel Montero (1-for-3 with two walks and a run scored), Matt Szczur (2-for-4) and Arismendy Alcantara (1-for-3 with a walk) reached base multiple times Wednesday. Minor Leaguer Stephen Bruno (1-for-1 with a RBI) drove in another run in Cactus League play.
The Cubs scored 11 runs on 13 hits with six walks and eight strikeouts. And the majority of Joe Maddon’s regulars really made Kyle Lohse work.
Jason Hammel wrapped up his spring with a good outing against the Brewers. Hammel threw strikes and the only issue was his inability to close out an inning. Of the six hits Hammel gave up Wednesday, five came with two outs to extend three of the five innings he pitched.
The only run off Hammel scored in the fifth after Scooter Gennett led off with a double, moved to third on a Kyle Lohse sacrifice bunt and scored on a two-out single from Jonathan Lucroy.
Jason Hammel gave up one run on six hits with no walks and five strikeouts in five innings.
Justin Grimm had a bad outing. Grimm was touched up for three runs on three hits and a walk in the sixth. Joe Maddon had to go get him before he could record an out. Minor Leaguer Hunter Cervenka allowed one of the runs charged to Grimm to score.
Jorge De Leon and Joseph Ortiz gave up the Brewers other three runs in the seventh and ninth innings.
Neil Ramirez pitched the eighth and retired three of the four batters he faced. Ramirez was sharp, had good command. Ramirez gave up a double to Scooter Gennett but retired the next three batters and did not allow Gennett to score.
The Cubs jumped Kyle Lohse and scored seven of their eight runs off the Brewers’ Opening Day starter.
Dexter Fowler led off the first with a triple to right. After Soler struck out swinging, Anthony Rizzo walked and put runners on the corners for Castro.
Starlin Castro did his job and lifted a ball into center that Gerardo Parra hauled in for the second out. Fowler tagged and scored, 1-0 Cubs.
Tommy La Stella gave Hammel a little breathing room in the fourth. La Stella hit his first homer of the spring, an opposite field shot to left that gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead.
Dexter Fowler followed and walked. Jorge Soler singled to left and Rizzo stepped in with two on and one out.
Anthony Rizzo drove a 0-2 pitch out to left, 5-0 Cubs.
The Cubs went back to work in the fourth. Tommy La Stella, hitting ninth, singled to center and was on board for Dexter Fowler’s two-run homer to right central … 7-0 Cubs.
Will Smith replaced Lohse in the fifth. After retiring pinch hitter Albert Almora (fly out to right) and La Stella (grounder to second), Dexter Fowler pulled a single into left.
Jorge Soler lined a homer into the berm in left … 9-1 Cubs.
The Cubs scored in the sixth on a wild pitch and Stephen Bruno collected another spring RBI in a big league Spring Training game. Bruno singled in Rubi Silva with the Cubs last run of the year at Sloan Park.
Thursday is an off-day for the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs open a two-exhibition game series Friday night at Chase Field against the Diamondbacks. Edwin Jackson is scheduled to face Jeremy Hellickson.