Major League Baseball

Seager, Cruz homer against Gallardo in Mariners' win

Published Mar. 22, 2015 7:41 p.m. ET

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PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) Yovani Gallardo allowed three-run homers to Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 8-0 Sunday.

Seager took off Saturday because of tightness in his side. He connected in the first.

''It was a precautionary thing,'' Seager said of sitting out a day. ''It was just one of those things where spring training, kind of don't want to overdo it and hurt yourself when you don't need to, I guess.''

He was confused at first as to whether the ball reached the berm over the fence in left-center field.

''It was kind of nice,'' Seager said. ''It felt clean, so that was good.''

Cruz, a former Ranger who entered the game with two regular-season home runs off Gallardo in his career, hit a drive off the center field batter's eye in the third. He had two hits.

''That was special,'' Seager said. ''That's probably one of the hardest balls, definitely the hardest ball I've seen hit this spring.''

Gallardo allowed eight runs on seven hits in 4 2-3 innings, the second time he's yielded four runs or more runs in a spring training outing. He struck out two and walked four.

''He threw some nice pitches down in the zone. He just got a few pitches up that got hit,'' Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. ''No concerns whatsoever. He made three bad pitches.''

James Paxton made his spring training debut after being slowed by forearm stiffness. The Mariners left-hander, slated for the starting rotation, worked 3 1-3 innings. He gave up five hits with two strikeouts, a walk and a wild pitch.

''That was good to get in situations there,'' Paxton said, ''and make some pitches when I had to get out of it.''

Logan Morrison and Dustin Ackley had run-scoring doubles for the Mariners in the fifth.

Former Mariner Carlos Peguero raised his spring average to .440 with a 3 for 4 afternoon for Texas.

STARTING TIME

Rangers: Gallardo said he felt fine but threw pitches up in the zone. ''You've got to take the positives out of every start,'' Gallardo said. ''For me, that's all that matters, to be honest. It's spring training. It hurt me, it worked against me, but everything was coming out fine. Trying to do a little bit too much and then you fall behind in the count. What are you going to do?''

Mariners: Paxton spent a good chunk of last season on the disabled list with a back injury, but laughed off his latest setback. ''I'm just trying not to get hurt anymore,'' he said. ''It felt really good to get back out there, have the guys behind me.''

TRANSACTION

The Rangers signed INF Tyler Pastornicky to a minor-league contract on Sunday, and he was expected to report to minor-league camp. He was released by the Atlanta Braves last week.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rangers: OF Shin-Soo Choo remains out with left triceps soreness, which could be the case for the next few days. He hit in batting cages Sunday after an MRI. ... Reliever Shawn Tolleson was scheduled to pitch Sunday, but was scratched with forearm soreness. ... RHP Ross Ohlendorf is dealing with a sore groin and is scheduled for another bullpen session before returning to game action.

Mariners: C Jesus Sucre said he's dealt with a sore right hip, and felt it while catching Sunday. It has been a problem since Friday, he said, but doesn't think it's serious.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Starting rotation longshot Alex ''Chi-Chi'' Gonzalez makes his second start and fourth appearance of the spring Monday against the Cincinnati Reds in Surprise.

Mariners: Erasmo Ramirez is a longshot to make the starting rotation for opening day, but his numbers have been solid this spring: 2.00 ERA, 9 IP, eight hits, four Ks, one walk. He'll get another chance to make his case Monday against the Los Angeles Angels in Tempe. It's Hisashi Iwakuma's day to pitch, too, so he'll throw in a simulated game against minor-leaguers.

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