LAS VEGAS — Ryan Court’s two-run homer in the second gave the Cubs a brief lead over the Indians in a split-squad spring training game Sunday in Las Vegas, but it was all Cleveland after that as the Cubs lost 11-4 at Cashman Field. The Cubs also lost to the Royals 11-9 in the other half of the doubleheader at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz.
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Rough day for Chatwood
Right-hander Tyler Chatwood, the Cubs’ top-performing starter of the spring through four starts, was knocked around for the first time in the Royals game in Mesa. After allowing one run in his first 11 innings (0.82 ERA), Chatwood gave up home runs to Frank Schwindel in the first (two-out, two-run shot) and to ex-Cub Jorge Soler leading off the second. He also walked three and gave up two more runs, five more hits (including two doubles) and a wild pitch, and he hit ex-Cub Jon Jay with a pitch. He also struck out six and left after five innings with the lead.
Baez holds up
After more than a week sidelined by a mild hamstring injury, Javy Baez survived well his first two games back, starting at second base Saturday and shortstop Sunday. He was 2-for-6 in the two games and declared himself “great.”
Rougher day in Vegas
Left-hander Rob Zastryzny’s one-out walk in the third to load the bases with Indians came back to bite him when Eric Haase snuck a two-out grand slam just inside the right-field foul pole two batters later. It gave the Indians a 5-2 lead. Class AAA reliever Cory Mazzoni retired two of his first three batters in the fifth, but five runs ended up scoring when the following ensued: hit batter, double steal, single, error, single, single, single.
Power play
Catcher Willson Contreras hit one of the longest home runs of the spring Sunday in Mesa, driving the ball way out to left for a go-ahead, two-run homer in the fifth.
On deck
Cubs at Reds, Goodyear, Jon Lester vs. Robert Stephenson, 8:05 p.m. Monday, cubs.com audio.
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