Another day has ended with another victory by those streaking Mariners, who are 4-0-1 in Cactus League games after their 5-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
Pitching was solid — Jarrod Washburn gave up a hit in two scoreless innings, Ryan Rowland-Smith was tagged for a three-run homer by Jim Thome but nothing else in two innings and, after Luis Munoz ran into two-out trouble in the ninth, Randy Messenger looked like another guy who’d like to join the competition for closer.
Messenger, who hadn’t allowed an earned run in three innings (including an intrasquad game), struck out Brandon Allen with a knee-high pitch on the outside corner to end the game. It’s Messenger’s second straight save, following a perfect inning Saturday against the Giants.
Rowland-Smith, who gave up two hits and a walk in the charity game against the Padres last week, alowed four hits and two walks this time. Still, manager Don Wakamatsu said he looked fine. We’ll see if he’s still saying that a few starts from now as the pressure builds in the competition for rotation spots. The Mariners also are tempted to use Rowland-Smith in the bullpen.
The game also featured former Jackson High School star Brent Lillibridge, who has an excellent chance to make the White Sox roster. Lillibridge went 0-for-1 with a ninth-inning walk, and was on third base when Messenger struck out Allen.
Earlier today, Ken Griffey Jr. got four at-bats in a simulated game, his final test before playing in Wednesday night’s exhibition against Australia’s WBC team. Manager Don Wakamatsu pronounced Griffey ready to get at least two at-bats at DH.
Mike Sweeney, Russell Branyan and Yuniesky Betancourt also batted in the simulated game against two minor league pitchers, Jake Wild and Travis Mortimore. Sweeney got the big hit, a home run to left field, and said his knees feel good. He’s hoping to get into a game by the end of the week.
Finally, today was the Mariners’ first visit to Camelback Ranch, the new spring training complex shared by the White Sox and Dodgers that’s just a few miles south of Peoria. It’s a sparkling facility with plenty of room on the concourses, the typical grass berm beyond the outfield fences and, behind center field, a small man-made lake and stream that will be stocked with fish. If Mariners reliever Roy Corcoran realizes that, he may show up with a fishing pole next time the team plays there.
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