The Seattle Mariners secured a 10-6 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Tuesday in spring training action. Colin Davis paced the offense, going 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. On the mound, Cooper Criswell turned in a solid outing, working 3.0 innings of 2-run ball with five strikeouts. The Mariners finished with 12 hits on the day while holding the Rockies to 11. The victory gives the Mariners positive momentum heading into the final stretch of spring training. The coaching staff will look to build on the strong showing in the games ahead.
Key Performers
Colin Davis was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a home run and two RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Mariners confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Ryan Bliss also contributed, going 2-for-4 with two RBI, Connor Joe chipped in, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, and Carson Taylor added to the attack, going 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI. The depth of production throughout the lineup was encouraging to see.
On the other side of the diamond, Braxton Fulford led the Rockies offense with a 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI day. Willi Castro also contributed, going 1-for-3 with two RBI. Edouard Julien added a 1-for-2 with a double and two RBI effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Mariners pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Cooper Criswell got the start, putting together a workmanlike effort, working 3.0 innings while allowing 2 earned runs on 5 hits with five strikeouts. He threw 61 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Mariners evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 6.0 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out seven. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today was an encouraging showing from the relievers. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions. Casey Lawrence recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Peyton Alford stood out with 1.0 innings of 2-run work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
The Mariners struck first, pushing across two runs in the second inning. Rockies struck back with two runs in the second. The Mariners answered with a run in the fourth. Rockies responded with three runs in the fourth. The Mariners countered with two runs in the fifth. The Mariners plated three runs in the sixth. Rockies answered with a run in the seventh. The Mariners responded with two runs in the ninth. The Mariners spread their scoring across five different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. The Mariners out-hit Rockies 12-11 on the day, with 2 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 8,439 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
As the exhibition schedule nears its conclusion, the Mariners can point to this game as a step in the right direction. The combination of solid pitching and timely hitting is exactly what the coaching staff hopes to see at this stage of the spring. The focus now shifts to maintaining this level of play with the regular season just around the corner.
