For
the week of :
August 26, 2002
Interview
with Alex Cintron
Interview with Jesse English
Arizona League championship
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Minor League Ramblings is produced by Bill Mitchell for Minor League Watch.
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Cubs
claim Arizona League championship with thrilling, come from behind
victory
"We told everybody, 'Hey, don't give up, we might have a chance in the last inning, let's go!'" claimed Francisco Salas, second baseman for the Mesa Cubs of the Arizona League. "That (chance) was for me, and I took it." Salas, a second-year pro recently featured in Minor League Ramblings, had driven in the tying and go-ahead runs with a long double to left centerfield to lead the Cubs to a 3-1 victory over the visiting Giants, capturing the one-game playoff championship of the rookie level Arizona League.
Today's game began as a duel between two of the league's top pitching prospects, the Giants' ace southpaw Jesse English and Cubs' right-hander Billy Petrick. The Giants scored their lone run in the bottom of the fourth inning on a throwing error by Cubs' right fielder Carlos Marmol. After Petrick completed his four innings of work, Cubs' manager Carmelo Martinez called on right-hander Carlos Tavarez. The Giants threatened in the fifth inning, but had a run wiped out when a base runner was called out for being hit by a ground ball. English came out after 5 1/3 innings with runners on first and second, but reliever Leslie Nascar retired the next two batters to squelch the Cub rally. The Cubs threatened again in the
sixth inning, putting Geovanny Soto on second base with one
out. Designated hitter Rafael Vasquez smoked a line drive up the
middle, but Giant shortstop Aaron Hornstaj made a diving
catch and tagged Soto before the latter could get back to the bag. That set the stage for the bottom of the eighth inning. Nascar, still on the mound for the Giants, retired pinch hitter Alan Rick on a called third strike for the first out. Dennis Summeral blooped a single into right field just beyond the reach of the diving Roberto Morillo. Felix Pie stroked a sharp single to right field, advancing Summeral to third base. Giants' manager Burt Hunter then called on 2002 first round draft choice Matt Cain to face Salas, who smacked the ball deep into left center. Summeral and the speedy Pie scored easily to give the Cubs their first lead of the game, 2-1. Cubs shortstop Jemel Spearman followed with another double just over the first base bag, scoring Salas with the third Cub run. Cain retired the next two batters to end the inning.
Martinez called on closer Federico Baez, who finished the regular season with a 1.95 ERA and nine saves for the Cubs. The right-hander from Puerto Rico retired the Giants in order, with the final out being made on a running catch by center fielder Pie, who raised his arms as he ran the rest of the way into the middle of the field to greet his jubilant teammates. The Cubs celebrated in the middle of the Fitch Park field for about 10 minutes, dousing Martinez, who had just been named Arizona League Manager of the Year, with the ceremonial bucket of water. But the happiest player on the field was Salas, who had only recently returned to action after a nagging injury. "That's basically the most important thing I've done," said the 20-year-old native of Mexico. "I'm just so happy for the rest of the team." --- Bill Mitchell -------------------------------------------------------
The Arizona League managers selected a pair of Cubs, center fielder Felix Pie and second baseman Matt Creighton as co-MVPs for the 2002 season. It was a clean sweep for the Cubs as Carmelo Martinez was chosen Manager of the Year. The League All-Star team, also selected by the seven managers, is as follows: 1B - Ruben Olguin
(Mariners)
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