CI Recap (3/7/17) – Cubs 7, Team Italy 8: John Lackey Makes Spring Debut, Things Went Well

John Lackey got his first start of Spring Training today in Mesa against Team Italy, pitching two innings and allowing one routine single. He also struck out one. The uneventful outing was exactly what you hope for in a debut.

Pedro Strop, Hector Rondon, and Carl Edwards were among the more notable pitchers who also got in work today. Strop and Rondon each gave up multiple hits and runs, but it was Rondon’s velocity that really caught my eye. His delivery looked sharp and he had no problem touching the low-to-mid 90’s. Edwards walked one, hit one, and also gave up a double.

The bats didn’t really get going until the farmhands made their way into the game in the bottom of the 6th inning. Both Taylor Davis and Chris Dominguez had home runs and Jeimer Candelario also singled in a run because, well, the Candy Man can.

Stats that matter

• Cubs relievers combined to give up 10 hits, four walks and eight runs over eight innings.
• It was a slow day for the Cubs starters, who had only two hits in 19 at-bats.
• Dominguez was the only Cubs hitter with more than one hit.

Bottom line

I was at the game today and honestly it finally felt like a practice game. There were just over 10,000 in attendance, only about two-thirds of the normal Sloan crowds. It was a lazy day and the Cubs played exactly like that too.

On deck

The Cubs have a rare day off tomorrow before playing Seattle at Sloan Park on Thursday at 2:05 PM CST.