'I'm ready for anything,' Palencia says after winning extra-inning Cubs debut
MILWAUKEE - Cubs manager David Ross usually likes to ease players into their big-league debuts.
But after Mark Leiter Jr. gave up 2 runs in the eighth and Adbert Alzolay surrendered 2 runs in the ninth Tuesday, there wasn't much choice but to send rookie Daniel Palencia out for his major league debut in the 10th.
Everything worked out great. Thanks to two clutch throws from left field by Ian Happ, Palencia worked two scoreless innings and earned a victory in his debut.
"I'm here to pitch. I'm ready for anything," Palencia said after the game. "It's just amazing. I was talking to (pitcher Michael) Fulmer. He said, 'Hey, don't think anything. Just throw strikes, throw your fastball, throw your slider. It's the same game.'"
The Venezuela native is known for throwing 100-plus miles per hour in the minors, but he started the 10th with a slider for a strike to Milwaukee's Willie Adames.
"That environment, first time out, place is on its feet," Ross said. "To land that first pitch slider to Adames was just one of those things that tells you how calm and collected he is. I know he didn't sleep a lot last night getting that call-up."
According to Statcast, Palencia topped out at 100.2 on a ball to Owen Miller in the 10th. He coaxed a fly out to Adames on a 100.1 mph heater.
After the game, Palencia had two souvenir baseballs parked in his locker.
"My first out, my first game," Palencia joked. "I'll just go in my room and watch them all night."
Happ throws strikes:
Ian Happ was sort of standing out in left field minding his own business when the outcome of Tuesday's game landed in his lap twice.
With the score tied 6-6 in the bottom of the 10th, Milwaukee's Owen Miller singled to left. Automatic runner Andruw Monasterio raced around third with the potential winning run, but a perfect throw by Happ gave catcher Miguel Amaya time to catch and tag. Then Amaya jumped up and caught Miller trying to get to second for an inning-ending double play.
The Cubs even survived a triple video review. The tag at home plate, tag at second, and whether Amaya was innocent of obstructing the plate were all confirmed.
Then the Cubs led 7-6 in the bottom of the 11th when Brice Turang sent a medium depth fly ball to left. Happ nailed Miller trying to tag up from third and this call was a no-doubter. Game over.
"Two kind of do-or-die plays," Happ said. "I think the first one, the game's over if you don't make the play and on the second one, there's no risk. You've just got to let it eat. Two accurate throws, which is the most important part, give yourself a chance.
"You try to get behind it the best you can. The first one, you're coming in hot so you're trying to get your feet under you, make sure you catch the ball first before you get rid of it."
Ross lets loose:
Cubs manager David Ross celebrated a much-needed win by unloading some frustration during his postgame interview outside the clubhouse.
Ross was ejected in the top of the 11th inning after a low pitch to Dansby Swanson was called a strike. Swanson complained; Nico Hoerner, standing on first base, complained; then first-base coach Mike Napoli was ejected. Ross came out of the dugout and was tossed by plate umpire Erich Bacchus.
Both teams were complaining about balls and strikes. Ross was peeved about a non-call at first base he thought should have been runners interference. And Ross added the roof at American Family Field to his list.
"I think yeah, there was some frustration," Ross said. "I'm trying to balance the emotions and continue to have these guys execute and have good at-bats. It wasn't very good. We made that known that some guys were starting to get frustrated. I know it's not an easy job, but some of the pitches that got called today just weren't even close. Just got to be better.
"They're closing the roof to get rid of the shadows late. There was a lot of B.S. that went on today. It was really frustrating. I (bleeping) thought it horse (manure), I don't (bleeping) know."
The roof did close late in the game, though it's tough to say if it benefited either side or was a rules violation.
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