Tonight’s game was a soothing and old-timey radio-only affair that featured lots of dominating pitching from both sides and almost ended in a tie-game. Onto the highlights!

Taijuan is Back!

Taijuan Walker got off to a real yo-yo start in the first inning, surrendering a lead-off dinger to Lorenzo Cain, but then bounced back to strike out Christian Yelich. As mentioned, the Mariners and the Brewers were too cowardly to film tonight’s game, but you know who is not a coward? Our own Managing Editor & Blog Boss, Kate Preusser, who was on location in Maryvale capturing a few choice moments, including the aforementioned punchout of Yelich.

Walker then gave up a hard-hit double to Keston Hiura, then got old pal Justin Smoak to pop out, and finally induced a ground out from Avisaíl García to get out of the first inning.

The second inning had more ups and downs, but Walker struck out Cain for the third out to end it with a bang.

In a bit of a surprise move for his first Cactus League start of 2020, Walker came back for the top of the third inning. He seemed to really find his groove, though, as he retired the side by striking out Brock Holt, getting Yelich to ground out, and then finishing off Hiura with a K. On the radio call, Gary Hill said Walker hit between 94 to 96 mph on his fastball in that final inning of work, which is fantastic news for us fans and even better news for Walker and his whole family.

More Good Things!

• Kyle Lewis smashed his third ding donger of the spring in the top of the fourth inning. You’ll just have to take my word for it.
• Justin Dunn had a very impressive outing, as well, with 5 strikeouts through 3 innings of work while giving up just one hit and one walk.
• Joey Gerber embarrassed the Brewers prospects he faced in the bottom of the seventh inning as he struck out the side. Gerber is having himself quite a spring:

Don’t let this baby face fool you. This man is a killer (of Brewers prospects).

MLB Photos via Getty Images

• Aaron Fletcher pitched a clean inning in the eighth and got himself a couple K’s, including this one:

• Donovan Walton worked a 12-pitch walk in the top of the ninth. Patient ABs are cool, in my opinion.

Bad Things

• Luis Castro hit a walk-off home run off former Brewer Taylor Williams with 2 outs to prevent the game from surely ending in a tie. Whoopsadoodle.

That about wraps things up in Maryvale for the Mariners. I’m told the next six(?!) games will be televised in some capacity, so thanks for sticking with me for this radio-only regaling of the practice baseball game.