Mariners 2, Padres 1 at the Peoria Sports Complex
Notable
Unlike some of the error-filled, walk-laden, three-hour contests they’ve played this spring, the Mariners rolled to a solid and relatively clean 2-1 victory Friday over the Padres in their first night game of the spring.
Right-hander Bryan Woo made his first start of the spring and looked sharp, pitching 1 2/3 innings without allowing a hit against most of the Padres regulars. The only base runner came on misplayed grounder at shortstop from Colt Emerson.
The Mariners grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second inning. With two outs, catcher Nick Raposo hustled for an infield single. He moved into scoring position when Emerson worked a walk. Samad Taylor drove in Raposo with a single to center.
The Padres answered picking up a run in the third inning off reliever Luis F. Castillo.
Player of the game
While a sore throwing arm has limited him in pregame defensive work and only appearing as a replacement at designated hitter, the Mariners’ No. 2 prospect Cole Young showed why he could make his MLB debut sometime this season.
In his second plate appearance of the night, Young came to the plate with two outs and Spencer Packard on first base and the game tied at 1. Facing lefty Jagger Haynes, Young fell behind 0-2, watching a first-pitch slider and swinging through a 95-mph fastball. But the young hitter didn’t give in, he fouled off two 95-mph fastballs and a slider. Young then refused to chase a pair of sliders in the dirt to even the count at 2-2.
In the ninth pitch of the at-bat, Young hammered a 95-mph fastball that stayed up in the zone, sending it to deep left-center for an RBI double that ended up being the difference in the game.
Quotable
“That’s really a nice at-bat, getting a chance to even the count and then getting a pitch he could handle. You’re going to get tired of me saying it, but middle of the field, driving that ball over the center fielder’s head to pick up the RBI, that’s the difference in the ballgame.” — Dan Wilson on Young’s double.
On Tap
The Mariners will be back at Peoria Stadium on Saturday afternoon, hosting the Chicago White Sox. Right-hander Emerson Hancock will make the start for Seattle with right-handers Logan Evans, Andrés Muñoz, Will Klein and Jesse Hahn and lefties Drew Pomeranz and Austin Kitchen scheduled to pitch. Chicago will start right-hander Shane Smith. First pitch is set for 12:05 p.m. PT. The game can viewed via webcast on Mariners.com and MLB.TV.