PEORIA, Ariz. – Bring on opening day, because Jamie Moyer seems ready for it right now.
The Seattle Mariners’ ace left-hander pitched with regular-season effectiveness Sunday, holding the Chicago White Sox to three hits and a run in six innings in the Mariners’ 12-2 victory.
“It’s just typical Moyer,” catcher Dan Wilson said. “I’ve run out of things to say about him. He threw everything today. When you call for a pitch, you get a quality pitch.”
Moyer’s pitches were such high quality that he didn’t throw enough of them in the five innings he was scheduled to pitch. So the Mariners sent him out for the sixth to finish his work and stretch his pitch count into the low 70s.
That’s getting close to regular-season shape, even on a strength-sapping 96-degree afternoon.
“I felt strong but it was really warm,” said Moyer, who believes he is close to being ready for the April 6 opener. “I know I get two more (exhibition) starts, but I know I need one.”
Manager Bob Melvin gladly will take Sunday’s performance – which included six strikeouts and one walk – when the Mariners face the Angels in the opener.
“You bet I would,” Melvin said. “Six innings, one run, a low pitch count? Yeah.”
Moyer is 41 and, after winning 21 games last year, has given nobody reason to believe he can’t have another big season. Sunday’s outing was by far his best of the exhibition season, giving him a 2.99 ERA.
“Jamie Moyer is a marvel,” Melvin said. “He’s always working on something new. Scary as it is, he gets better every year. The key to guys like Edgar (Martinez) and Jamie is they never have to get back into shape. They’re never out of shape.”
Spring (training) fling: The Mariners couldn’t make an out in the fourth inning, when they got nine straight hits and scored seven runs off two White Sox pitchers.
Dan Wilson, Jose Lopez, Ichiro Suzuki, Randy Winn, Bret Boone, Raul Ibanez, Edgar Martinez, John Olerud and Rich Aurilia hit safely before Wilson finally made an out.
The Mariners did most of their damage off White Sox starter Jason Grilli, a young right-handed prospect. The Mariners’ three starting outfielders – Ibanez, Winn and Suzuki – went a combined 9-for-10.
Hiram’s power: Hiram Bocachica continues to keep himself in the running to make the team as a utility player. He hit his third home run in the seventh inning to take the team lead and remain clearly on Melvin’s radar.
“He’s going to make it tough not to keep him,” Melvin said. “We gave him an opportunity to play and he’s taken it and run.”
Bocachica, who signed as a free agent after playing for the Tigers last season, is competing for the final roster spot with Ramon Santiago. He is primarily an outfielder but can play shortstop.
Lefties perfect: Mike Myers and Ron Villone, two of the three veteran left-handers who are competing to make the team in the bullpen, each pitched a 1-2-3 inning against the White Sox.
Those two, along with veteran Terry Mulholland, are competing for no more than two openings in the pen.
Kaz report: Former Mariners closer Kazuhiro Sasaki hasn’t pitched an exhibition game yet for the Yokohama BayStars because of a pulled hamstring.
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