Cole Hamels blasts homer as Cubs defeat Red Sox
Joe Camporeale - USA Today Sports

Cole Hamels blasts homer as Cubs defeat Red Sox


by - Columnist -

After finishing the Cactus League season by destroying the Padres on Sunday, the Cubs returned home to Sloan Park to host the Boston Red Sox for the first of two exhibition games. The Cubs started lefty Cole Hamels (2-0, 5.40 ERA), against Boston’s righty, Rick Porcello (0-1, 3.38 ERA).

It was a pitcher’s duel for the majority of the game, and Hamels did a little dueling of his own at the plate, hitting a home run to tie the game at one in the bottom of the third. The Cubs would go on to win by a final score of 3-2.

T1: LHP: Cole Hamels: Single, strikeout, pop-out, flyout. (Pitch Count: 12)

B1: (BOS: RHP-Porcello) Cubs go in order: Ben Zobrist (pop-out), Kris Bryant (line-out), Rizzo (groundout). No score.

T2: Hamels: Double, groundout (runner advances to third), groundout, groundout. (Pitch count: 26)

B2: (BOS: RHP-Porcello): Javier Baez: Flyout. Kyle Schwarber: Strikeout. Wilson Contreras: Tense moment, lined back to the mound, hitting Porcello in the head and sending him to the dirt. Not only was he fine, but he also stayed in the game — Heyward lined out to second to finish the inning. No score.

T3: Hamels: Flyout, home run (Benintendi), groundout, groundout. Boston leads 1-0. (Pitch count: 45)

B3: (BOS: RHP-Porcello) BOOM! Cole Hamels homers to tie it. Almora: Flyout. Zobrist: Flyout. Bryant: Hit by pitch. Rizzo: Bloop fly to shallow left, lost in the lights, scores KB, Rizzo takes second. Baez: Flyout. Cubs lead 2-1.

T4: Hamels: Flyout, flyout, strikeout. (Pitch count: 56)

B4: (BOS: RHP-Porcello) Schwarber: Line-out. Contreras: Double. Heyward: Strikeout. Hamels: Strikeout. Cubs lead 2-1.

T5: Hamels: Flyout, groundout, flyout. (Pitch count: 65)

B5: (BOS: LHP-Rodriguez) Almora: Groundout. Zobrist: Single. Bryant: Strikeout. Rizzo: At bat, but Zo is caught trying to steal second. Cubs Lead 2-1.

T6: RHP Pedro Strop: Strikeout, strikeout, flyout. (Pitch count: 8)

B6: (BOS: LHP-Rodriguez) Rizzo: Hit by pitch. Baez: Strikeout. Schwarber: Strikeout. Contreras: Walk. Heyward: Force-play. Cubs lead 2-1.

T7: RHP: Steve Cishek: Groundout, single, single (runner to third), single (run scored), replaced by LHP Randy Rosario: Single (bases loaded), double-play grounder (5-3- Bote to Rizzo). Game tied 2-2.

B7: (BOS: RHP-Velazquez) BOOM! David Bote: Homerun to retake the lead. Almora: Walk. Zobrist: Grounds into a force at second. Cristhian Donahue: Walk. Daniel Descalso: Strike ‘em out, throw’ em out, as Descalso goes down swinging, and Zo gets pegged trying to steal third. Game tied 2-2.

T8: Rosario: Groundout, strikeout, strikeout.

B8: (BOS: RHP-Barnes) Aramis Adelman: Strikeout. (Barnes replaced by RHP Brasier) Mark Zagunis: Strikeout. Taylor Davis: Groundout. Game tied 3-2.

T9: LHP Kyle Ryan: Strikeout, pop-out, groundout. Cubs win 3-2.

The Cubs will conclude spring training this afternoon, once again hosting the Red Sox at Sloan Park. Game time: 2:05 PM (CDT). Pitchers TBD. Televised: MLB TV, RedSox.com, NESN.

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