Angels fall to Mariners, 5-3, in spring game
Seattle 5, Angels 3
AT THE PLATE: Matt Joyce snapped Seattle right-hander Taijuan Walker’s 19-inning spring scoreless streak with a long solo homer to center field in the second, giving the Angels left fielder eight hits, including two homers and two doubles, since returning from a hamstring injury on March 23. “He’s been on everything,” Manager Mike Scioscia said, “and it’s a good time for it.” David Freese and Erick Aybar followed Joyce’s homer with singles, but Walker retired the next 17 batters through the seventh, and reliever Yoervis Medina threw a one-two-three eighth before the Angels reserves scored twice in the ninth.
ON THE MOUND: Nick Tropeano gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings, an outing Scioscia called “a huge step forward” because of the way Tropeano pitched ahead in the count. But the right-hander made two mistakes to catcher Mike Zunino, who hit them for a two-run double in the fourth and a solo homer in the seventh. Left-hander Cesar Ramos gave up a double and struck out three in the seventh, and setup man Joe Smith gave up a solo homer to Robinson Cano in the eighth.
EXTRA BASES: Left-hander Hector Santiago gave up one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings of a minor league game, striking out nine and walking three. Jered Weaver (Tuesday) and C.J. Wilson (Wednesday) will make their final spring starts in minor league games, while Zach Stewart (Tuesday) and Drew Rucinski (Wednesday) start the final two big league exhibitions against Oakland. … Third-base prospect Kaleb Cowart has resumed switch-hitting after focusing on batting from the left side in 2014. … Matt Shoemaker, Andrew Heaney and Santiago will start the Freeway Series games against the Dodgers this week.
UP NEXT: Oakland Athletics at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Tempe Diablo Stadium. On the air: TV: FS West. Radio: 830.
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