2 min read General Cubs Information

Cubs Set Cactus League Record

By Tim Sheridan
March 31, 2009

The hottest team in all of baseball this spring is the LA Angels of Anaheim and they continued today, beating the Cubs 8-4 to raise their (doesn’t matter) spring record to 24-6-1. Attendance at Hohokam today was 9,165, smaller than our recent crowds but enough for the Cubs to set the all-time Hohokam and Cactus League home attendance record of 195,172 with one more game to go on Thursday. The Cubs held the old mark of 193,993, set in 2005. With more games this season the per game is lower than 2005’s per game average of 12,125.

As for the actual game, Sean Marshall started and did well until the 4th inning when the Angels scored 7 of the 8 runs against Marshall. The Angels had 8 hits that inning with Torii Hunter getting 2 of the 8, one a HR. The Cubs relief staff of Patton, Heilman, Vizcaino, and Chad Fox did a good job holding the Angels scoreless after the 4th with Kevin Gregg making his first appearance in a week striking out the side in the 9th.

Derrek Lee is really starting to heat up going 3 for 3 today with a couple doubles and a RBI. Kosuke Fukudome had a two hits, one of them a triple. After his first hit Dome was picked off first base when his foot slipped awkwardly across the bag while a tag was applied. Two innings later, Ryan Theriot was picked off first base, it’s still spring training but we are nearing opening day and you don’t like to see this stuff happening. Micah Hoffpauir hit his 6th spring home run driving in Aaron Miles who had a pinch hit double ahead of Hoff.

The Cubs finished today’s game with a lineup that included Carlos Perez, Cliff Anderson, Nate Samson, Jonathan Mota, and Nelson Perez leaving some fans scratching their heads wondering ‘Who?’. Yes, I’ll be consulting my Cubs Media Guide to find out about these guys.

D-Lee was signing autographs down the right field line all the way up to within 2 minutes of first pitch. Lou Piniella and his coaches had to avoid a Gary Matthews Jr. flying bat in the 7th inning as it slipped out his hands during his AB. Joey Gathright as he’s made a habit of doing ran down a long Robb Quinlan fly ball to the RC gap making the catch only feet before the fence. He couldn’t stop himself so he ran about 3 steps straight up the side of the wall. This guy is one heck of an athlete.

I had a nice visit with Al Yellon who created the website Bleed Cubbie Blue and his friend Miriam before today’s game. BCB is a Cubs fan community with great discussions and a wealth of information.

The Cubs will head to Phoenix tomorrow taking on the A’s and then close the Cactus League portion of the exhibition schedule on Thursday at Hohokam against the Cleveland Indians, Thursdays game will start one hour early at 12:05 pm AZ time.

Exclusive Boys of Spring photos provided by Garrett Craig, for more info about Garrett check yesterday’s blog.



Marshall ran into trouble in the 4th


It may not look pretty but Dome gets a hit here


David Patton calls out a pop-up


One of D-Lee’s two doubles


Heilman working


Theriot holds ball after force on second


Luis Vizcaino


“No, we didn’t ask to see Mr. Matthews bat, please return it to him”


Dome on stand-up triple


Miles heading to second on pinch hit double


Hoff shows the power, 2 run dinger

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