Mariners 9th Inning Heroics Prove They At Least Tried

(Ed's note: Scott George is a new member of our staff handling primarily back end social media responsibilities. However, Scott is also a writer and as such will be filling in from time to time when I feel mean spirited and want to make him to extra work. Scott's interests include Toto, but only at 33 1/3 RPM, DDP yoga, and the collection of dimes from 1972-1991. Welcome Scott!)

Who the heck is tired of Spring Training? Anybody with a Twitter account has been complaining that they want the actual baseball season to begin already. Who sits down on a Friday night and watches some hot, humid, somehow windy Cactus League action. There are pizzas to eat, DVR episodes of Brooklyn 99 to catch up with, nightclubs or bars to occupy. Who can really find the time?

Don’t worry; I have you covered. Come with me if you want to read.

***

Seth Smith was scratched with a groin problem. The obvious hope is that this will not be a growing concern as the season starts, he’s been on a tear this spring, and having his bat in the lineup will definitely help.

The biggest eyebrow raiser tonight was Nori Aoki starting in Center. He was able to take care of two routine fly balls in the first, after that, he looked pretty lost. There was a poor route to a ball that he eventually caught and then he let one drop in no man's land in the second. He’s looked like an adventure in left, which is forgivable at best, but this is clearly a guy who shouldn’t be playing center field at all.

Wade Miley went three innings and looked solid. He threw 43 pitches and would have been out of the second if a ball hadn't been misplayed in the Bermuda triangle. His change up looked great and the velocity seemed normal. With the fly balls he gave up today, he’s hopefully going to look outstanding at Safeco Field.

In the 4^th, Ketel Marte backhanded a ball fairly deep in the whole at short. With a few past shortstops, the throw to first would cause me to hyperventilate. Marte planted properly with both feet and delivered a strong throw to Lind for the out.

Daniel Robertson filled in for the aforementioned Smith today and provided two hits. It has been covered in the past that he has a right to make this team and tonight was another argument in his favor.

Donn Roach is probably a name you’ve heard some whispers of this spring. I have a feeling that this will be a name that is shouted the first few times the major league bullpen looks less than savory. Roach looked great today. He went three innings of scoreless ball, his pitches looked sharp and he struck out four. That makes 15 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings over Roach's last six Cactus League appearances.

Down to their final out it was Ketel Marte hitting a triple to right field and then scoring when Austin House (sure) decided to spike a breaking ball into the dirt on a throw to first. Efren Navarro was unable to be a hero and popped out to left. Scott Servais and Walt Weiss went out and made eye contact with each other

and it was enough to end the game in a TIE.

***

It’s all over tomorrow. Tomorrow is the last Spring Training game of 2016. The Mariners head to Talking Stick as the Colorado Rockies attend the KARNIVAL to face Nathan Karns for his final tune up before his first regular season start on April 9^th.