Bats Hot in the AZ Sun

It’s a good thing today’s cell phones have calculators because there was alot of big numbers put out today at Hohokam Stadium. The Cubs came up one short in the final score losing 14-13 to the Reds, the two teams combined for 40 hits which certainly kept the 13,182 (fourth largest ever at Hohokam) entertained.

The unfortunate part of all the hits and runs was the pounding delivered to the pitching, specifically on the Cubs Carlos Silva. Silva took over at the start of the 6th inning and allowed 11 hits, 8 runs 5 earned in 3 innings. A couple of errors didn’t help Silva’s cause but weren’t the main factors in his difficult mound stint. Anytime you allow 11 hits in 3 innings it spells trouble. Carlos Zambrano started the game, he gave up 6 runs in 4.2 innings punctuated by a home run each from Scott Rolen and Joey Votto. In spite of the numbers I felt Z looked in control, coming back from allowing 3 runs in the third he had a 1-2-3 fourth. Marcos Mateo finished up pitching a scoreless ninth, striking out the final two Reds.

The Cubs hit, and hit well staging another late inning comeback scoring 4 runs in the final 2 frames.  Unfortunately Kosuke Fukudome a defensive replacement in the 7th weakly grounded out with bases loaded to end the game. Carlos Pena and Darwin Barney each had 3 hits. Barney reached base 5 of his 6 at bats (Be sure to check out my Darwin Barney interview in yesterday’s video). Aramis Ramirez was 2 for 3. Tyler Colvin and Wellington Castillo also had a couple hits each. Castillo has been on fire at the plate this spring and after today’s game sits at a scorching .733 batting average. Starlin Castro smashed a deep 3 run HR to left center.

Castro’s HR

Another warm day today, the high hit at least 86 degrees during the game.  Our Mesa weather looks to be cooling off ever so slightly, back down into the 70s over the next few days. We had a special presentation before the game to Sam Von Trapp of the famous Von Trapp family. The Von Trapp’s story is the inspiration behind the musical the Sound of Music.  A proclamation presented by Mesa City Manager Chris Brady makes March 20th to 26th “Sam Von Trapp Week” in Mesa. I just don’t know how I’m going to contain my excitement as the week draws near. Since it’s spring break week we tend to see different things at the ballpark. Last game fans were trying to do the wave, and today for the first time this year I noticed the beach balls came out. One landed on the field in the bottom of the 5th, surprisingly security tossed it back up to the berm bums. Like the beach ball, in spring training our hopes and dreams are still afloat before the seriousness of the regular season comes like a mean tempered security guard and deflates our delicate optimism.

Today’s photos by Boys of Spring’s John Antonoff.

One of Barney’s 3 hits

One of Pena’s 3 hits

Barney sporting the G