Zunino powers Mariners' offense with 3rd HR

March 9th, 2017

MESA, Ariz. -- Mike Zunino slugged his third home run of the spring and logged a tying RBI single in a four-run ninth inning that sent the Mariners to an 8-6 win over the Cubs on Thursday at Sloan Park.
launched his first home run of the spring -- a solo shot in the first inning -- and he added a double in the sixth in going 2-for-3 for the Cubs.
Mariners left-hander turned in a sharp three-inning outing as he struck out five with no walks in his first spring start after pitching two innings out of the bullpen in his debut last week.

"They have a really good team over there, a strong lineup, World Series champs," Paxton said. "They bring it. It was good to go out there and face a team that talented and have some success."
Zunino added an RBI double on a ball lost in the sun by left fielder in the fifth. Right fielder Mitch Haniger went 2-for-4 with a double and third baseman had two hits and a walk.
Mike Montgomery, competing for the No. 5 spot in the Cubs' rotation, allowed one run on three hits, including Zunino's solo homer to left in the second. Montgomery, acquired from the Mariners last July, had no walks and one strikeout in his third start of the spring.
"My arm feels great," Montgomery said. "I'm just building my strength. It was a step in the right direction."
The Cubs scored a pair of runs in the fifth on back-to-back doubles by and and an RBI single by , and Davis tied it in the seventh with a run-scoring single. then drove in the go-ahead run on a single off of in the eighth.
Up next for Mariners: Watch live on MLB.TV as Chris Heston, a right-hander acquired from the Giants, makes his second start of the spring at 12:10 p.m. PT in Friday's rematch with the Cubs at Peoria Stadium. Veterans Nick Vincent and and hard-throwing prospects and are scheduled to pitch in relief.
Up next for Cubs: Watch live or listen for free to an exclusive webcast as Cubs right-hander makes his second spring start on Friday against the Mariners at 2:10 p.m. CT in Peoria.
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