MESA, Ariz. — The Cubs took advantage of shaky Mariners pitching for eight walks and a pair of homers to beat the Mariners 7-3 at Sloan Park and snap a three-game Cactus League losing streak. the Cubs improved to 4-5 this spring.
Lester sharp: After a rough first outing, veteran Jon Lester was in command for three scoreless innings in his second start of the spring, facing the minimum, thanks to catcher Willson Contreras throwing out a pair of would-be base stealers to wipe out the two singles Lester allowed. The left-hander struck out four.
Center of attention: Albert Almora Jr. and his simplified swing homered on the first pitch leading off the fourth for the Cubs’ first run. Almora, who is battling Ian Happ for the centerfield job, is 7-for-14 this spring with two homers and two walks after his 1-for-3 day.
Injury watch: Hard-throwing prospect Manuel Rodriguez was forced to leave the game in the sixth inning after suffering an arm injury on a pitch to his third batter of the inning. The club said he experience “right biceps discomfort” and is to be examined again Monday. The right-hander struck out two in a scoreless debut inning this spring.
Old friends: Former Cubs reliever Carl Edwards Jr. pitched a scoreless sixth for the Mariners, pitching around a leadoff walk by getting a strike-‘em-out, throw-‘em-out double play. And former Cubs farmhand Dan Vogelbach, a 2011 second-round pick, drove in the M’s first run with a sixth-inning single and just missed a two-hit game when Jason Heyward robbed him of a two-run homer to end the fourth with a leaping catch at the wall in right.
On deck: Split squads: Angels at Cubs, Mesa, 2:05 p.m., Monday, ESPN, Julio Teheran vs. Kyle Hendricks; Cubs at Athletics, Mesa, 9:05 p.m., Monday, Alec Mills vs. Frankie Montas.
