The Chicago Cubs pitching, besides having good pitchers, is very good at the plate. Jake Arrieta alone last season hit .262 with two home runs, two doubles, and a triple with seven RBIs. In yesterday's game against Zack Greinke, Jake sent a Home Run deep into the left-center field lawn. The shot went 465 feet. The former Cy Young winner talked to MLB.com's Carrie Muskat about his first couple at-bats during spring training.
“You never know what to expect early. I was just trying to pick up the ball, put good swings on the ball, and trying not to look too foolish up there. I see the ball pretty well — people, especially like Anthony Rizzo — laugh at that, but I see it OK.”
Jake Arrieta had a good day on the mound too
Along with Arrieta's 465 ft. home run, he displayed good stuff on the mound, too, on his way to the 5-5 tie. The D-backs got out ahead early. They got a 2-0 lead in the first off a Brandon Drury single with two outs, then Jake Lamb hit a home run into Left Center. In Jake Arrieta's five innings of work, he allowed three runs on eight hits.
He struck out four and only walked one. There is only one start left for Jake before the season starts. After Arrieta, the Chicago Cubs gave five more pitchers some work during this game. The D-backs got the lead again off Uehara who allowed two hits with one earned run.
Behind the plate
Obviously, Jake Arrieta's home run really highlighted this game. The homer would have been one of the 25 longest home runs in 2016. After the home run tied it up in the third it took to the fifth to get any more offensive production, Kris Bryant's double in the fifth bringing home Munenori Kawasaki and tying it up at two. The Chicago Cubs took the lead in the sixth. Willson Contreras led off the inning with a double which spelled trouble for Greinke.
He walked Szczur and the bullpen walked La Stella, loading the bases. A ground out by Arrieta brought in the lead run for the Cubs. Other offense came off a 0-2 shot over the wall by Tommy La Stella.