MESA, Ariz. -- Jeimer Candelario's first-inning home run got the Cubs off to a good start, but the A's rallied back with a three-run ninth inning in a 3-3 tie on Sunday afternoon at a sun-splashed Hohokam Stadium.
Chicago took a 1-0 lead when leadoff hitter Anthony Rizzo started the game with a double and scored after two wild pitches by Oakland starter Jesse Hahn. With two outs, Candelario lofted a changeup to left field and watched it sail over the wall to make it 2-0.
Franklin Barreto and Tyler Ladendorf delivered RBI singles for the A's in the ninth, and Matt Olson chipped in the tying run with a sacrifice fly.
Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks overpowered Oakland in an impressive outing. He worked four scoreless innings and gave up only one hit, a Billy Butler double with two outs in the second frame. Hendricks struck out five batters and walked one, and he now has 11 strikeouts in nine innings of Cactus League play.
"I'm just trying to get ahead of guys, honestly, and just pitch my game," Hendricks said. "I think it's something early in spring that's just working out. I'm not really thinking about it. I'm just trying to get in that rhythm, in my mechanics and I felt good today. My fastball command wasn't great in the first three innings, and in the fourth I kind of found it again and got dialed back in. I felt good overall."
Hahn ended up improving after the first, retiring seven of the next eight batters he faced in scoreless second and third innings.
"A rough first inning again, but I think I settled down well, and the overall outcome I think I was happy with," Hahn said. "I kind of went in with a lazy routine, I think, in my warmups. I think I'm still trying to work that out, find a good routine for me to prepare for that first inning. … Once I settled in and made some adjustments, everything kind of went smooth after that."
The Cubs tacked on a run in the seventh when John Andreoli homered off of Sean Doolittle. It was Andreoli's second homer of the spring and gave him a team-high five RBIs.
Cubs Up Next:Jake Arrieta will make his second spring start on Monday when the Cubs play host to the Padres at Sloan Park. Arrieta threw two strong innings in his first outing as he tunes up for Opening Day. Shane Victorino could return to the lineup. He's been sidelined because of tightness in his calf. The game will begin at 3:05 p.m. CT and be broadcast exclusively on Cubs.com.
A's Up Next: Opening Day starter Sonny Gray continues his progression toward that assignment on Monday, when he gets the ball at home for a 7:05 p.m. PT game against the Giants. Gray will be followed on the mound by left-hander Felix Doubront, righty Ryan Dull and lefty Marc Rzepczynski, and for the first time this spring, Stephen Vogt will be behind the plate. Vogt had been limited to designated hitter duties as he recovered from offseason elbow surgery.