PEORIA, Ariz. — Nelson Cruz hit a two-run homer in his spring training debut with the Seattle Mariners, helping his new team to a 9-4 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday.
Cruz, who finished with two hits, was the Mariners’ highest-profile pickup in the offseason after being an All-Star with Baltimore last year. He curled a pitch from Ian Kennedy near the left-field foul pole in the bottom of the third to give Seattle a 4-1 lead.
“Felix asked me for a home run,” Cruz said of Mariners ace Felix Hernandez. “I said I normally don’t hit homers in the spring but I’ll try today. It was pretty close. The call was fair.”
It was close enough for Padres manager Bud Black to come out of the dugout for a chat with plate umpire Brian Knight.
“I had foul ball,” Black said. “These games don’t count.”
Will Venable hit a two-run homer for the Padres, who lost to Seattle for the second straight day. Alexi Amarista had three hits and an RBI.
Robinson Cano and Kyle Seager both had two hits, with Cano scoring twice and Seager scoring and driving in a run. Both also helped the Mariners turn two double plays.
Cruz is between Cano and Seager in the Mariners’ projected opening day lineup.
“It was exciting to see the whole lineup,” Cruz said. “See what we can do together.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
