Seattle Mariners Game Recap: Mike Zunino Homers 2X

Mar 28, 2015; Peoria, AZ, USA; A sign inside the complex warms fans to be aware of objects leaving the playing field during a spring training game between the Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants pulled off a miracle comeback to beat the Seattle Mariners Saturday afternoon in Peoria. The Arizona sun was devastating today, but not nearly as devastating as the M’s blowing a 4 run lead in the 9^th inning. Erasmo Ramirez (1-2, 6.23 ERA) stunk up the joint, and was charged with his second loss of the spring. Santiago Casilla (1-0, 7.20 ERA) earned the win, and Hunter Strickland picked up his first save of the spring.

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The Giants jumped out to an early lead following a Gregor Blanco leadoff triple down the right field line. Blanco came in to score on a Travis Ishikawa ground out to shortstop Willie Bloomquist. San Francisco took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the 1^st inning.

However, the lead was short lived, as the Mariners stormed back to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom half of the 1^st. Seth Smith delivered a 1 out single on a ground ball through the right side of the infield. Robinson Cano has been brilliant this spring, and he tied the game this afternoon by doubling on a fly ball down the left field line. Cano made it to third base following a throwing error, and Nelson Cruz put the M’s in front by hitting a sacrifice fly to left field.

Mike Zunino entered today’s ballgame with 4 homeruns this spring, and in the second inning he clubbed his 5^th spring training dinger. Zunino’s homerun was of the solo variety, and the Mariners took a 3-1 lead into the top of the 4^th inning.

The 4^th inning was not very kind to Mariners’ starter Hisashi Iwakuma. The veteran right-hander issued a rare walk to open the frame. 2014 NL Comeback Player of the Year Casey McGehee punched a groundball through the left side of the infield. Jason Maxwell cleared the bases by crushing an Iwakuma slider deep to left field for a three run blast. The ball cleared the fence with ease, and pushed the Giants back in front 4-3.

The Mariners’ bats were alive this afternoon, and with the help of Kyle Seager, the M’s retook the lead in the bottom of the 4^th. Seager led off the inning with a bang, as he lined a Jake Peavy fastball at the lounging fans in right field. The homerun was the 3^rd of the spring for the Mariners’ All Star third baseman. Logan Morrison reached base after working an 8-pitch walk. Following a Zunino pop out, Dustin Ackley hit a single to right field. LoMo chugged around to third base on Ackley’s single to put runners on the corners with just 1 out. Willie Bloomquist singled on a ground ball to left field to put the Mariners back on top. Ackley came around to score on a Just Ruggiano single to give the M’s a 6-4 lead after 4 innings.

Seattle added to their lead in the bottom of the 6^th inning. Mike Zunino clobbered his second big fly of the game to give the Mariners a 7-4 lead. Zunino now has 6 homeruns this spring, good for second in the Cactus League. Jeremy Affeldt walked Ackley, and Willie Bloomquist made the veteran southpaw pay. Bloomquist laced an RBI double into the left-center field gap to give the M’s an 8-4 lead heading to the 7^th inning.

The Giants showed why they are the reigning World Series Champs in the top of the 9^th inning. Erasmo Ramirez was called on to finish things off for the Mariners, but things did not go according to plan. Justin Maxwell led off the final frame with a single to left field. Andrew Susac made it back-to-back singles to open the inning by lining a 2-0 offering into center field. Brett Jackson doubled home Maxwell on a line drive to right field. Juan Ciriaco singled on a groundball to plate Susac and shrink the M’s lead to 2. Things went from bad to worse when Kelby Tomlinson tied the game on a triple to center field. Tomlinson’s triple chased Ramirez from the game. Mark Lowe came on, and immediately struck out Jackson Williams for the second out in the 9^th inning. Tomlinson sprinted home from third on a wild pitch to score the winning run.

Hunter Strickland shut the door on the Mariners in the bottom of the 9^th inning for the save. It was a painful loss for Seattle, but at the end of the day, the starters played well and the loss is not important.

The full box score can be found here.

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