Chicago Cubs: Arrieta surrenders first run of spring in 10-2 loss to Padres

With Opening Night in Los Angeles being only three weeks out, the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres took the field as two of the worst teams in Cactus League play. Chicago entered the day 2-9 while the Padres sat ahead of them by only one win.

Following a spectacular spring debut by right-hander Jake Arrieta, he continued to dominate on the mound, this time working two innings more than his prior appearances last Wednesday against the Cleveland Indians. Arrieta hurled two scoreless innings while issuing zero free passes and struck out four on 14 pitches.

This time around, he surrendered his first earned run of the spring to former St. Louis Cardinal Jon Jay. Jay recorded his third double, a ground-rule that would score Jemile Weeks in the third to tie things up at one apiece.

National League Rookie of the Year sensation Kris Bryant backed up his starting pitcher with an RBI double of his own back in the first inning. This gave the Cubs a one-run advantage after Arrieta retired the first two of three Padre hitter’s via strikeouts.

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He ended the afternoon with one earned run on two hits, two walks, and five strikeouts to push his earned run average to 1.50. And then things got out of hand when Pierce Johnson took the mound in the fifth inning.

Johnson has struggled over the course of his two previous appearances for the Cubs. He’s been tagged for a combined six earned runs on nine hits between San Diego and Cleveland.

Shortly after the Padres scored the go-ahead run on a fielding error by Jorge Soler in the fifth, both Jabari Blash and Alexei Ramirez took Pierce deep.

The former Chicaggo White Sox shortstop hammered the first pitch of his at-bat for his first big fly of the spring. It was the second two-run homer of the inning that would stretch San Diego’s lead up to 6-2.

Center fielder Dexter Fowler accounted for Chicago’s second and final run of the ballgame back in the bottom half of the fifth with runners in scoring position. It was a ground ball to center field that was deflected by the pitcher, allowing Addison Russell to cross home plate safely.

Fowler, Russell, Bryant and first baseman Jesus Guzman were the only Cubs who managed to get a hit this afternoon.

The North Siders will have their shot at redemption tomorrow afternoon when Clayton Richard squares off against Tyson Ross. This time, it’ll be in Peoria, Arizona as the Padres become the hosts rather than the visiting team.

First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. central time and can be seen on MLB.tv.