The Arizona Diamondbacks rolled to a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Monday in spring training action. Pavin Smith paced the offense, going 1-for-3 with an RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. On the mound, Zac Gallen turned in a solid outing, working 3.0 innings of scoreless ball with three strikeouts. The Diamondbacks finished with 7 hits on the day while holding the Mariners to 5. The victory gives the Diamondbacks 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
Pavin Smith was the standout at the plate, going 1-for-3 with an RBI. His steady bat was exactly what the lineup needed. Performances like this give the Diamondbacks confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Adrian Rodriguez added to the attack, going 1-for-1 with an RBI, Jorge Barrosa provided support, going 1-for-3 with a double, and Gabriel Moreno also contributed, going 1-for-3. The depth of production throughout the lineup was encouraging to see.
On the other side of the diamond, Rhylan Thomas led the Mariners offense with a 1-for-3 with an RBI day. Brendan Donovan also contributed, going 2-for-3 with a double. Connor Joe added a 2-for-3 with a double effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Diamondbacks pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.
On the Mound
Zac Gallen got the start, putting together a workmanlike effort, working 3.0 innings while allowing 0 earned runs on 0 hits with three strikeouts. He threw 41 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Diamondbacks evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 5.3 innings of work, allowing 1 earned run 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.
Among the relievers, Juan Morillo stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
The Diamondbacks struck first, plating a run in the fourth inning. Mariners responded with a run in the fifth. The Diamondbacks countered with a run in the ninth. The Diamondbacks out-hit Mariners 7-5 on the day, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 11,944 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
As the exhibition schedule nears its conclusion, the Diamondbacks 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.