Three Straight Wins

If you were out at Hohokam Stadium today and saw Buck Coats throw out Charles Thomas at the plate to preserve a Cubs 9 to 8 victory over the Oakland Athletics, congratulations, because you, my friends, are dedicated! This was a long game even by spring training standards, nearly 3 and a half hours, that saw Cubs pitchers handing out 10 free passes to A’s batters including 2 walks with bases loaded. Carlos Zambrano started the game and pitched 3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits, walked 3 batters, along with 3 K’s. The Cubs impending Cy Young winner was visibly frustrated in the 2^nd inning after hitting a batter and giving up 2 runs. When Z left the game the Cubs held a 5 to 2 lead. Scott Eyre and Roberto Novoa both had short rough outings, each pitching less than one inning. Jeff Samardzija played in his first game at Hohokam today and pitched decently in his two innings, giving up 1 run on 2 hits, while striking out a batter.

The Cubs did bring some lumber so this game wasn’t a complete slumber, pounding out 18 hits including a lead off homerun in the 1st by Alfonso Soriano. Aramis Ramirez, Derrek Lee, and Jacque Jones each had 3 hits, with Jones driving in 3 runs. Felix Pie drove in the eventual winning run in the bottom of the 7^th . Winless in the first 4 games, 3 losses and a tie, the Cubs have now won 3 straight. Tomorrow the Cubs head back out to Peoria, Arizona this time to take on the San Diego Padres. Wade Miller to face former Cub, Greg Maddux.

Soriano goes yard in 1st inning

Jeff Samardzija’s first pitch at Hohokam