PEORIA, Ariz. — Hishashi Iwakuma’s second spring training outing for the Seattle Mariners was an improvement yet was short of where he wants to be.
His appearance limited because of high pitch counts in an intrasquad game and in his first start last Monday, Iwakuma gave up two runs and four hits over four innings Saturday in a 5-5, nine-inning tie against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a split-squad game.
Iwakuma threw 52 pitches in an outing that included a walk, a hit batter and a wild pitch. He gave up a solo homer to Matt Treanor in the third and another run in the fourth.
“I feel it was much better than last time,” he said through a translator. “I tried to pitch the split-finger and the sinker, too. … I want to pitch many innings, and I planned to pitch a couple of innings this time, so I’m glad I did that.”
Dodgers starter Nathan Eovaldi, who also has relieved this spring training, allowed two hits in three scoreless innings completed in an efficient 26 pitches.
“As long as I’m out there,” said Eovaldi, who hopes to make the big-league roster. “I felt like I performed really well last year. I’d like to really limit my walks and attack the hitters and get quick outs.”
Kyle Seager, a 24-year-old hoping to make Seattle’s opening-day roster, hit a solo homer in the fifth.
“It’s a good sound off the bat,” Mariners manager Eric Wedge said of Seager. “He’s definitely stronger and he barrels up the ball very well for a young man, but he’s driving it more this spring.”
Seattle had a four-run sixth that included doubles for Chone Figgins and Ichiro Suzuki and an RBI single for Seager, who also scored twice. Ronald Belisario allowed four runs in the inning, three of them earned.
“When Belly gets the ball up, he’s going to get hit,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “He’s going to flatten out and he gets frustrated.”
Dodgers starting shortstop Justin Sellers, running from first base on a hit in the third inning, was struck in the chin by a bouncer into the hole between first and second. He was called out for interference and was shaken up, and he was replaced in the fourth. Sellers was light-headed and complained of a headache, Mattingly said, and was taken back to the Dodgers’ camp in Glendale for further evaluation.
“Our doctors are over there, they cleared him and sent him home,” Mattingly said. “No concussion. … I’ve got him in the lineup tomorrow, too, but that could change.”
NOTES: Dodgers OF Andre Ethier was scratched with his second occurrence of mid-back stiffness in a week. He felt discomfort during morning batting practice and had been scheduled for a day off Sunday, according to Mattingly. … The game was delayed momentarily when umpires made Belisario cover his forearm with a wristband. … The Mariners have changed regular-season game times on Sept. 5 and Oct. 3. because of the new playoff format. The Sept. 5 game against Boston was moved from 12:40 p.m. PDT to 7:10 p.m. and the Oct. 3 game against the Los Angeles Angels from 7:10 p.m. to 3:40 p.m. PDT. … Mariners ace Felix Hernandez is scheduled for his second spring training start Sunday against San Francisco in Scottsdale.
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