D-backs defeat Mariners at Salt River Fields
The Arizona Diamondbacks hosted their final Sunday game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick for this year, defeating the Seattle Mariners 8-4. The lineup the D-backs entered the game with will likely be very similar to the one that starts on Opening Day in April. The only thing really left to be determined for the lineup is who will be the leadoff hitter. Gerardo Parra is making a strong case of late, including a 2-for-4 performance on Sunday, to up his average to .340 this spring.
The Good:
The D-backs fell behind 4-1 in the top of the third, but bounced back in the bottom of the frame, scoring five runs off of veteran southpaw Joe Saunders to capture a 6-4 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Paul Goldschmidt mashed his second home run of the spring, scoring Aaron Hill and raising the team’s total to eight runs.
Wade Miley surrendered four runs on six hits, including two long balls over 3.1 innings of work. However, D-backs manager Kirk Gibson seemed to be pleased with his left-hander’s outing, calling it a step in the right direction.
The Bad:
Miley struggled early, giving up a leadoff solo home run to Franklin Gutierrez, and continued to labor over the next 3.1 innings. In the third, Kendrys Morales took Miley deep for a three-run bomb that gave the Mariners a 4-1 lead.
Jason Kubel’s rough spring at the plate continued, as his average dropped to .154 after going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts on the day.
Quoted:
“It’s not something I wanted to talk about,” said Kirk Gibson when asked if he imagined discussing a thin outfield prior to the start of Spring Training. “I’m aware that things can happen in Spring Training, you have to evaluate as you go. When we get towards Opening Day, we’ll see what we’ve got and we’ll go from there.”
Noted:
• Arizona is now 8-5-1 in its last 14 games.
• The attendance for the game was 12,864, making it the eighth straight sellout, as well as a Salt River Fields record.
What’s Next:
The Diamondbacks have a day off on Monday before hosting the Los Angeles Angels at 7:10 p.m. on Tuesday night at Salt River Fields.
