Seattle scored a first-inning run against San Diego but missed blowing the game open – loading the bases with one out and a run in, only to see Chris Young strike out Ryan Langerhans and Josh Bard.

Jason Vargas just completed  two scoreless innings, looking sharp in the process. The problem? Even against he punchless Padres, a 1-0 lead isn’t likely to hold up in Arizona.

• The Mariners are playing in March the way they hope to play in April – with aggression on the bases. With Eric Byrnes on second base after a one-out double, he was running when Ryan Garko singled him home.
• Matt Tuiasosopo, who seems to own Cactus League pitching, led off the bottom of the second with a triple. One of these years, it’s liable to win him a job.
• Rookie Michael Saunders singled softly into center field, good for an RBI and a 2-0 lead. These guys seem to have figured it out: Want to stay in camp with the chance that something good happens? Make something good happen.

  

• David Aardsma in to get his first inning of work. Walked the first man he faced, got the second – Everth Cabrera, to ground into a double play. Aardsma kept pumping pitches at the low end of the strike zone, got the third out on another ground ball.

Aardsma left and Brandon League came in, not nearly as sharp. A single, wild pitch and two-out single scored a run.  A second wild pitch got by catcher Josh Bard. In the fourth, Mariners 2, Padres 1.

• Pardon the delay – computer woes in Arizona.  Shawn Kelley gave up a game-tying home run, then Ryan Garko hit Seattle’s first spring homer and the Mariners went up, 3-2. Lefty Nick Hill gave up a run in relief and, in the seventh, it’s tied at 3. If nothing else, these Mariners play close games.
• Two of the Wilson brothers – the Mariners have Jack, Josh and Mike – just put Seattle ahead in the eighth inning. Josh led off with a single and Mike, who can mash when healthy, doubled off the wall in right center field for the RBI. Mike Wilson led the team in home runs and RBI last spring. Mariners 4, Padres 3.
• Make that 5-3, and give the RBI to Dustin Ackley, who just singled home Mike Wilson . That’s two spring at-bats, one hit, two RBI. Yes, Virginia, this kid can play.
• Headed down to talk to the manager post-game. Did that yesterday and the game went 10 innings ….