SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Right from the start, Shelby Miller and Kyle Schwarber gave the sellout crowd at Salt River Fields a regular-season type matchup with a nine-pitch battle that Miller won as the D-backs beat the Cubs, 3-1, on Thursday night.
Schwarber, who started the game in left, popped out to shortstop on the ninth pitch. In the third, he launched a long drive to right off Miller that went way over the fence, but drifted foul before he struck out looking.
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"He's a heck of a hitter," Miller said of Schwarber. "I've always had trouble with him. He always gives me a good at-bat. He was battling my curveball, laying off the backdoor cutters. Obviously, he just missed one foul. He's a good hitter, a tough out, for sure."
Miller allowed one hit and fanned six over three innings in his second impressive start this spring. Arizona pitchers combined for 14 strikeouts.
Jason Pridie, who is battling for a spot on the Arizona bench, hit a three-run homer in the second off Cubs starter Jake Buchanan.

The Cubs got on the board in the fifth when Matthew Szczur tripled to lead off the fifth and scored two batters later on Munenori Kawasaki's single to right.
Cubs Up Next:Mike Montgomery will make his second spring start on Friday when the Cubs host the Reds at Sloan Park. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. CT, and the game will be available on Gameday Audio and through an exclusive audio webcast on cubs.com. Montgomery, who went one inning in his Cactus League debut, is a candidate for the fifth-starter spot.
D-backs Up Next:Zack Greinke is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut Friday against the Dodgers at Salt River Fields at 1:10 p.m. MT. Greinke has been brought along slower than the other starters this spring, but not because of any injury. Friday's outing lines him up to start Opening Day against the Giants on April 2. The game will be available on MLB.TV.