PHOENIX -- Wily Peralta pitched two scoreless innings in his spring debut, Andy Wilkins homered and the Brewers stayed unbeaten in Cactus League play with a 5-2 win over the Mariners on Friday at Maryvale Baseball Park.
The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Garin Cecchini's sacrifice fly off Mariners starter Taijuan Walker, who was charged with a run on two hits and a walk in two innings. After allowing just two runs in 27 innings of Cactus League play last spring, Walker wasn't as sharp in his debut this time, as he threw 16 balls in his 34-pitch outing.
"I just didn't have command of the fastball and left a lot of pitches up and was getting behind," said the 23-year-old. "I got into a pretty big jam. I guess that's what you want to do, bases loaded and [one out], you want to limit the runs as much as possible. Obviously I don't want to get in a jam, but it's going to happen and if it does, I'd rather just give up one."
Brewers infielders Aaron Hill and Hernan Perez added an RBI apiece in the sixth inning for Milwaukee, and Wilkins connected for a two-run home run off Mariners right-hander Mayckol Guaipe in the seventh.
Brewers pitchers Peralta, Chris Capuano, Tyler Thornburg and Daniel Tillman combined to hold Seattle scoreless over the first seven innings before Mariners left fielder Mike Baxter made it 5-2 with a two-run home run in the eighth. Baxter also made a diving catch in the seventh.
Up next for Mariners:Nelson Cruz will make his first appearance of the spring at designated hitter after dealing with a sore left knee when Seattle hosts the Angels on Saturday in a 12:10 p.m. PT game at Peoria Stadium. Lefty Wade Miley, acquired from the Red Sox in an offseason trade, makes his Mariners debut and will pitch two innings, with Joel Peralta, Vidal Nuno, Jonathan Aro, Tony Zych and Cody Parker also slated to pitch.
Up next for Brewers: Right-hander Jimmy Nelson looks to build off a 2015 season in which he led the Brewers in victories and strikeouts when he takes the mound Saturday in Mesa, Ariz. against the A's in his spring debut. Bob Uecker will have the call on the Brewers Radio Network beginning at 2:05 p.m. CT.