The Arizona Diamondbacks handed the Chicago Cubs a 16-8 loss at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Wednesday in spring training play. Despite Jefferson Rojas's 1-for-3 with a home run and four RBI effort at the plate, the Cubs could not overcome a sizable deficit. Edward Cabrera worked 3.0 innings on the mound, allowing 7 earned runs on 7 hits. The Diamondbacks out-hit the Cubs 17-9 on the day. The loss is a minor bump as the Cubs continue fine-tuning ahead of Opening Day. The exhibition season is about preparation, and today provided the kind of reps the coaching staff needs to see.
Key Performers
Jefferson Rojas was the standout at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and four RBI. His power was on full display throughout the game. The Cubs will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Kevin Alcántara added to the attack, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI, Jonathon Long provided support, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, and Miguel Amaya also contributed, going 1-for-3 with an RBI. The Cubs showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Jorge Barrosa led the Diamondbacks offense with a 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI day. Alek Thomas also contributed, going 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Aramis Garcia added a 1-for-2 with a double and three RBI effort as well. The Diamondbacks offense proved to be too much for the Cubs pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Edward Cabrera got the start, running into trouble, working 3.0 innings while allowing 7 earned runs on 7 hits with four strikeouts. He threw 74 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 5.0 innings of work, allowing 8 earned runs while striking out five. The Cubs continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting.
Among the relievers, Ben Brown stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Diamondbacks got on the board first with a run in the first inning. The Cubs responded with five runs in the third. Diamondbacks countered with six runs in the third. Diamondbacks plated seven runs in the fourth. Diamondbacks added two runs in the seventh. The Cubs responded with three runs in the eighth. The Diamondbacks were able to score in four separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Diamondbacks out-hit the Cubs 17-9, with 4 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 11,242 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
Despite the result, the Cubs will take the lessons learned from this game and move forward. Spring training is about preparation and evaluation, not wins and losses, and the coaching staff gained valuable information about the roster today. There is still time to make adjustments before the regular season begins, and games like this one are part of that process.
