CI Recap (3/11/18) – A’s 7, Cubs 2: Darvish Strikes Out Five, Grimm Hammered Again

Yu Darvish made his second start of the Spring and struck out the side in the 2nd inning. Kyle Schwarber put on another power display with his third home run in 2018 Cactus League play. But it was Oakland that flexed it’s muscles at the Cubs’ former home, Hohokam Stadium. (Box Score)

Why The Cubs Lost

The A’s had a power surge hitting three home runs the final five innings.

Key Moment 

In the bottom of the 4th inning, third baseman Matt Chapman took Kyle Ryan deep for a three-run homer to left-center field. The blast gave the A’s a 4-2 lead.

Stats That (Don’t) Matter

• Darvish got hit hard a couple of times in the first inning, giving up a double in the process but no runs. He ended the day after getting one out in the third inning. His final line was 3.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 5 K, 1 BB
• Schwarber hit his third home run of the Spring, a deep shot to right-center. He continues to play well.
• Justin Grimm is not helping his case to earn the final bullpen spot. He surrendered three more hits today including a two-run homer.

Bottom Line

Darvish has an uncanny ability to strike out batters and he’s going to be a lot of fun to watch this year. But let’s not gloss over Schwarber’s offensive output so far this Spring. He’s slashing .333/.438/.741. Yes, it’s only Spring training, but that, coupled with his ultra-fit physique, has me feeling quite optimistic.

On Deck

The Cubs are off on Monday, but return for split squad action on Tuesday. The first game on Tuesday starts at 3:10 pm CT against the Padres in Peoria, Arizona. The second matchup begins at 9:05 pm CT against the Giants at Sloan Park. The Padres game is available on MLB.tv and both games stream on cubs.com.