Spring Training Game Sixteen – Cubs 0, Royals 10
WP – Chris Young (1-1) LP – John Lackey (0-1) Save – None
The Cubs were shutout Wednesday for the first time in the Cactus League. The Cubs could not cash in multiple scoring opportunities against the Royals’ pitching staff. John Lackey had a good five-inning outing but the Cubs’ relievers had a rough time in Surprise.
The Royals scored three runs off Carl Edwards Jr. and Pedro Strop in the seventh inning and broke the game open in the eighth inning. The Royals put five runs on the board against Hector Rondon in the eighth and handed the Cubs a spring loss.
A day after scoring 11 runs in Peoria, the other half of Joe Maddon’s spring roster could not push any runs across the plate against the Royals staff. The Cubs loaded the bases three times Wednesday and came away empty.
In the fourth, Ben Zobrist (1-for-3 with a double) doubled, Addison Russell (1-for-2 with a walk) walked and Miguel Montero (1-for-1 with two outs) worked a one out walk to load the bases. Jorge Soler (0-for-3) was caught looking for the second out and Javier Baez (1-for-3) struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Cubs loaded the bases again in the seventh. Baez reached on an infield single. Jesus Guzman (1-for-3) singled to center and John Andreoli (1-for-3 with a walk) walked. But Kris Negron popped out to second and Arismendy Alcantara (0-for-1 with a walk) rolled into a 5-4-3 double play.
And in the ninth, the Cubs loaded the bases but were unable to break up the shutout when minor leaguer Jason Vosler flied out to left to end the game.
The Cubs had eight hits with five walks but finished the day 0-for-8 with RISP and left 11 men on base.
John Lackey put together a good outing Wednesday afternoon in Surprise. The Royals made several loud outs with hard contact. Lackey hit his spots and threw strikes to a majority of the Royals regular lineup.
Lackey completed five innings in his second Cactus League start. Lackey allowed two runs on six hits. Lackey struck out four batters and did not issue a free pass. Lackey made 66 pitches, 49 for strikes.
Manny Parra was sharp again Wednesday. Parra retired three of the four batters he faced on 13 pitches, 10 for strikes. Parra allowed a hit and picked up a strikeout.
Carl Edwards Jr. struggled with his location in the seventh inning. Edwards Jr. recorded one out but not before giving up a hit and walking Travis Snider. Joe Maddon went to his pen for Pedro Strop with two on and one down, Reymond Fuentes took Strop out to right for a three-run homer. Strop retired Clint Barmes on a fly out to left and struck out Cody Decker to end the seventh.
Pedro Strop was charged with one run on one hit (home run) with a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning. Strop made seven pitches, all strikes.
Hector Rondon was lit up again Wednesday. The Royals scored five runs off Rondon in the eighth. Maddon had to call on minor leaguer Michael Jensen to pick up the last out in the eighth. Rondon served up a two-run homer to Dusty Coleman. Clint Barmes singled in two runs and Cody Decker delivered a run scoring single before Maddon went and got him.
Hector Rondon was tagged for five runs on seven hits on 22 pitches, 18 for strikes, in two-thirds of an inning.
Cubs’ pitching allowed 10 runs on 16 hits with one walk to the Royals on Wednesday afternoon.
Albert Almora Jr. provided one of the few Cubs highlights on the afternoon. Almora Jr. made a sensational diving catch in the seventh inning to take away an extra basehit from Parker Morin.
With Wednesday’s loss, the Cubs slipped to 4-11-1 in the Cactus League.
The Cubs return to Sloan Park for a late-afternoon match-up on Thursday (6:05pm CDT) with the Diamondbacks on ESPN. Jason Hammel is scheduled to face Rubby De La Rosa.