Trumbo powers Diamondbacks to 4-2 win over Cubs
PHOENIX (AP) Mark Trumbo homered and had an RBI single in two at-bats, and the Arizona Diamondbacks finished spring training with a 4-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
Trumbo hit a two-run home run in the third inning after a run-scoring single in the first, ending his spring with a .421 batting average. His four home runs and 19 RBIs led the Diamondbacks.
''I've been pretty pleased with what's going on. There's a few things I've tried to work on,'' Trumbo said. ''The results aren't as big a deal but I've been able to drive in a few runs.''
The Cubs went with a lineup of minor-league position players that included some of their top prospects, including shortstop Addison Russell, catcher Kyle Schwarber, second baseman Javier Baez, center fielder Albert Almora and left fielder Junior Lake. The major league team, including manager Joe Maddon, traveled to Chicago ahead of Sunday's regular-season opener against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Lake and Almora each had two hits and an RBI.
Travis Wood and Kyle Hendricks, the Cubs' fourth and fifth starters in the major-league rotation, worked one inning each to start the game. Wood allowed two runs on three hits with a strikeout and Hendricks pitched a hitless second inning.
''You want to end on an upswing in your play and the teamwork and the winning attitude type of stuff,'' Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said of finishing the spring on a positive note.
Hale said he looks forward to his managerial debut on Monday.
''It's going to mean everything,'' Hale said. ''Playing against the Giants, it's a team that I grew up rooting for. It'll be exciting to have my family here.''
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STARTING TIME
Diamondbacks minor-leaguer Anthony Banda was a late replacement for Vidal Nuno, who made 14 starts last season. Nuno, a candidate for the bullpen, was sent down to Triple-A Reno.
ROUNDING OUT THE BULLPEN
The Diamondbacks ended the afternoon with roster decisions yet to make and won't set the final roster until before Sunday's deadline. In addition to Nuno, LHP Robbie Ray was also sent to Reno, RHP Enrique Burgos to Double-A Mobile and C Blake Lalli was reassigned to the minor-league camp.
That means that Andrew Chafin, who started three games for the Diamondbacks last season, won a spot on the big-league roster in the bullpen, and the backup catcher decision involves veterans Gerald Laird, who played Saturday, and Jordan Pacheco, who can catch and play all over the field.
''I think they'd rather have some suspense than have bad news,'' chief baseball officer Tony La Russa said when asked about not having set the roster yet. ''Sometimes you don't decide until you have to.''
La Russa said he likes Chafin's versatility as a starter and reliever. Chafin allowed seven earned runs in 13 1-3 innings this spring.
Chafin said he was relieved to find out he'll open in the majors and is fine with starting out as a reliever rather than a starter. ''I had it stuck in my head that I was going to make the team. That's the only way to think about it,'' Chafin said.
TAKING ANOTHER LOOK
Yasmany Tomas, one of the club's major signings of the offseason, played left field on Saturday as the team got one more look at the rookie before having to decide whether to send him to the minors for more at-bats or keep him on the 25-man major-league roster.
Tomas, more often at third base this spring, made a quality over-the-shoulder catch on defense but went 0 for 3 at the plate.
''He's an athlete, and we're excited that he's going to become a very productive player for us. So we're trying to do the right thing,'' La Russa said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Diamondbacks: Arizona will open the season with pitchers David Hernandez, Patrick Corbin and Bronson Arroyo on the disabled list. Catcher Oscar Hernandez will also start the season on the DL. Corbin, who missed the 2014 season after Tommy John surgery, is expected back in June, manager Chip Hale said. ... SS Nick Ahmed was hit in the hip with a pitch in the seventh inning and left the game for a pinch runner.
Cubs: Baez was hit in the left hand with a pitch in the sixth inning but remained in the game, scoring a run in the inning.
UP NEXT
Cubs: Jon Lester starts against St. Louis on Sunday night.
Diamondbacks: Josh Collmenter starts against San Francisco on Monday night.