Spring Training Game Seventeen – Cubs 15, Diamondbacks 4
WP – Jason Hammel (2-0) LP – Archie Bradley (2-1) Save – None
The Cubs lit up Sloan Park’s scoreboard. A majority of Joe Maddon’s every day lineup scored 12 runs on nine hits in the first five innings innings, all nine hits went for extra bases. And Jason Hammel limited the high-powered Diamondbacks to one run over four innings as the Cubs picked up a spring win Thursday night in Mesa.
The Cubs were relentless early in the game against Archie Bradley and the trend continued throughout the game after Joe Maddon emptied his bench. The Cubs grinded out at bat after at bat. Those long at bats turned into extra base hits. The Cubs did not collect their first single until the eighth inning.
The Cubs finished the night with 14 hits, 11 went for extra bases … four doubles, four triples and three home runs.
The Cubs scored five runs off Archie Bradley in the first inning while making the big right-hander throw 37 pitches. Dexter Fowler (1-for-3 with a triple and a run scored) led off the first with a triple to the right field corner. Fowler scored and tied the game at one when Jean Segura threw the ball into the stands.
Jason Heyward (1-for-2 with a triple, a walk, a RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base) restarted the inning with a walk and swiped second with Rizzo at the plate. Anthony Rizzo (0-for-1 with a walk, a run scored, a stolen base and a sac fly RBI) was caught looking. Kris Bryant (1-for-3 with a double, a RBI and a run scored) doubled down the third base line. Heyward scored and gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead.
Kyle Schwarber (1-for-1 with a triple, two walks, a RBI and a run scored) plated Bryant with a triple to right center.
Jorge Soler (2-for-3 with a home run, a double and two RBI) picked up a much needed hit, his second of the spring. Soler launched a two-run shot over the wall in right center … and the Cubs took a 5-1 lead.
Jorge Soler smoked a 3-2 pitch back up the middle with Rizzo and Schwarber on in the third. Jean Segura could not handle the smash. Rizzo scored, Soler ended up at second as Schwarber stopped at third. And Chip Hale decided that was enough for Archie Bradley.
The Cubs added two more runs in the fourth off Brad Ziegler. Victor Caratini hit for Hammel to start the fourth. Caratini doubled and scored on a triple from Jason Heyward. Anthony Rizzo plated Heyward with a lineout to center field.
The Cubs put four runs on the board in the fifth inning against Tyler Clippard and knocked the veteran reliever out of the game before he could record three outs. Schwarber walked to start the inning. Kris Negron ran for Schwarber and moved to second when Soler grounded out. Addison Russell (0-for-2 with a HBP and a stolen base) was hit by a pitch. Juan Perez ran for Russell.
Munenori Kawasaki doubled to right. Negron scored. Tim Federowicz (1-for-2 with a triple, a run scored and two RBI) drove in Perez and Kawasaki with a triple to right center. After Chip Hale replaced Clippard with Blake Perry, Federowicz scampered home on a wild pitch with Albert Almora Jr. at the plate.
The Cubs played longball in the sixth and eighth innings to cap the scoring.
Kris Negron (1-for-2 with a home run and two runs scored) hit a solo homer in the sixth. John Andreoli (1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI) smacked his fourth home run of the spring, a two-run shot in the eighth.
The Cubs scored 15 runs on 14 hits with four walks and seven strikeouts. And Chip Hale was forced to use nine pitchers in the exhibition game.
Jason Hammel completed the first four innings Thursday. Hammel had another good outing and worked well with Kyle Schwarber. Hammel hit his spots and found a rhythm after the first inning.
The Diamondbacks jumped on Hammel in the first inning with an infield single by Jean Segura and a single from Socrates Brito. An ill-advised pickoff attempt to first base by Kyle Schwarber allowed Segura to move up 90 feet. Hammel struck out Paul Goldschmidt with runners on the corners for the first out. David Peralta hit a sac fly to center that allowed Segura to score, the only run given up by Hammel on the night.
Jason Hammel was lifted for pinch hitter Victor Caratini in the bottom of the fourth. Hammel made 61 pitches and it was likely the length of the Cubs innings that cut his outing a little short. Hammel was expecting to pitch five to six innings. Hammel allowed one run on five hits, all singles, without a walk and six strikeouts.
Drew Rucinski took over for Hammel in the fifth. Jean Segura hit a long homer for the Diamondbacks second run. Rucinski allowed one run on one hit (home run) with a strikeout and no walks in an inning of work.
Aaron Brooks kept the Diamondbacks off the board for his first two innings. Brooks could not complete his third inning of work before giving up two runs on four straight two-out hits. Brooks struggled with his fastball command and it caught up to him in the eighth inning. Brooks was charged with two runs on four hits with a walk and a strikeout in three innings.
Brandon Gomes pitched the ninth with an 11-run lead. Gomes retired three of the four batters he faced in the ninth with two strikeouts. Gomes worked around an error by Arismendy Alcantara for a scoreless inning.
With Thursday win, the Cubs improved to 5-11-1 in the Cactus League.
The Cubs make the trip to Glendale to take on the White Sox on Friday afternoon (3:05pm CDT). Kyle Hendricks is scheduled to start for Joe Maddon. The White Sox have not announced a starter yet.