Sunday's game between the Cubs and the Giants in Scottsdale was nothing short of a Spring Training spectacle, filled with unexpected twists and turns that kept fans on their toes. The Cubs fell 4-2, but not without a series of memorable moments.
Right from the start, the game took an unusual turn. As the Cubs were up to bat in the first inning, a loud beeping sound, reminiscent of a truck backing up, echoed through the stadium.
An unexpected announcement urged fans to evacuate due to an incident at Scottsdale Stadium. Some fans heeded the call, while others stayed put, including friends who shared their experience with me.
Giants pitcher Robbie Ray seemed a bit thrown off by the commotion, issuing walks to Matt Shaw and Alex Bregman. In hindsight, pausing the game might have been wise until the glitch was resolved.
With runners on first and second and no outs, the Cubs looked poised to strike. Seiya Suzuki then blooped a single to right field, setting off a chain reaction of confusion.
Suzuki assumed Shaw would score and took off for second, while Bregman headed for third. Shaw, however, hesitated between third and home, leading to a chaotic sequence that ended in a rare 9-3-6-5 triple play.
Shaw and Bregman found themselves at third base simultaneously, and the defending team tagged both, with Shaw being the odd man out. It's a Spring Training lesson for Shaw, and no doubt Bregman will address such situations with the team.
On the mound, Colin Rea had a solid start once the stadium announcement was sorted, but he gave up a run in the second inning. Rea's outing was decent, with 37 pitches, 22 of them strikes. Caleb Thielbar and left-handed prospect Riley Martin followed, with Martin facing some trouble in the fifth, allowing two runs on infield outs after loading the bases.
The Cubs had opportunities to score, notably in the sixth inning when Brett Bateman singled and Miguel Amaya's fly ball was lost in the sun, resulting in a double. However, Bateman was thrown out at home, and a subsequent fly ball led to an inning-ending double play, thanks to a strong throw from Jung Hoo Lee, now playing right field for the Giants.
The seventh inning saw the Cubs finally break through. Dylan Carlson walked, and pinch-runner Kade Snell took his place.
Justin Dean singled, advancing the runners. Snell scored on a wild pitch, and Dean crossed the plate on a fielding error, narrowing the Giants' lead.
An interesting moment came with an ABS challenge in the second inning. Carlson challenged a strike three call, which was overturned, allowing the inning to continue.
While such challenges are rare in scoreless early innings during the regular season, Spring Training is a time for players to familiarize themselves with the system. Seven challenges were made during the game, with four overturned, aligning with expectations for the ABS system.
Despite nine hits and ten walks, the Cubs struggled with runners in scoring position, going 1-for-11 and leaving 12 on base.
Notably absent from the game were Michael Busch, Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner, and Dansby Swanson. While they might skip the long bus ride to Surprise for Monday's game against the Royals, fans could see them in action soon at Sloan Park.
Ben Brown is set to start for the Cubs against Kansas City's Seth Lugo, with the game kicking off at 2:05 p.m. CT.
While there's no TV coverage, fans can tune in via ALT 96.5, the Royals' radio station.