MESA, Ariz. — Cubs left-hander Cole Hamels says he’s prepared for “go time” and his first begin of the season Sunday in Texas. But don’t blame him if he’d like not less than a number of extra days in Arizona.
“Shoot, I’ve been having a pretty good couple days here,” stated Hamels, who hit a third-inning homer off former Cy Young winner Rick Porcello on Monday night time – sooner or later after hitting the primary hole-in-one of his life throughout a golf outing with Cubs teammates.
“Sometimes you don’t want it to end.”
Hamels pitched round some visitors and allowed one run on Andrew Benintendi’s homer throughout a five-inning tune-up because the Cubs beat the Red Sox 3-2 in an exhibition sport at Sloan Park in Mesa.
Hamels vs. the Red Sox on Monday night time.
“There’s a lot of firsts there, so hopefully we’ll continue it,” stated Hamels, whose golf feat was broadcast on Instagram by teammate Anthony Rizzo – who apparently was equally impressed by the homer.
“He’s a little perplexed right now just because of what’s going on,” Hamels stated. “It’s been fun.”
David Bote hit the go-ahead solo homer for the Cubs within the seventh.
In a daunting second within the second inning, Porcello appeared to flee damage when Willson Contreras hit a line drive again to the mound.
The ball appeared to look off the facet of Porcello’s head because the pitcher tried to duck out of the best way – the ball caroming out to right-center.
Porcello laughed as he obtained up, threw a few apply pitches, grinned at his supervisor and coach and stayed within the sport. He pitched 4 innings.
“He’s tough,” Hamels stated. “I don’t know where it hit him because we don’t have instant replay – I’m glad we don’t so I didn’t have to relive it. But he looked fine when he was coming off [the field] so that’s a good sign.”