Brewers 5, Mariners 2: Baxter provides only highlights in loss

Except for two highlight moments from left fielder Mike Baxter, the Mariners pretty much snoozed their way through a 5-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday at Maryvale Baseball Park in Maryvale, Arizona.

The Mariners fell into a 5-0 hole before avoiding a shutout when Baxter hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning against Jim Miller, a one-day promotion from minor-league camp.

“He’s really swinging the bat well,” manager Scott Servais said of Baxter. “It’s early. It’s BP (batting practice) and what-not, but I like the bat a lot. He’s a gamer. He’s played a long time. And he’s got power.”

Baxter’s homer came one inning after he made a diving catch in the left-center gap by ranging to his left.

Other than that, it was fairly forgettable after the Mariners opened their spring with two victories over San Diego.

Taijuan Walker worked a brisk first inning before finding trouble in the second, when the Brewers loaded the bases with one out on a walk and two singles. Garin Cecchini’s sacrifice fly produced a run.

“I just didn’t have command of the fastball,” Walker said. “I left a lot of pitches up, and I was getting behind. But I got out of a pretty big jam.

“I guess that’s what you want to do: Bases loaded with one out, you want to try to limit the runs as much as possible. Obviously, I don’t want to be in a jam, but it’s going to happen.

“And if that happens, I’d rather just give up one.”

Milwaukee extended its lead to 3-0 by scoring two runs in the sixth inning against right-hander Adrian Sampson, who figures to open the season in the Triple-A Tacoma rotation.

Sampson allowed four consecutive one-out singles.

The margin climbed to 5-0 on Andy Wilkins’ two-run homer in the seventh inning against Mayckol Guaipe.

PLAY OF THE GAME: Seattle shortstop Luis Sardinas made a slick turn for a double play despite a takeout slide by Jonathan Villar in the third inning.

Second baseman Shawn O’Malley fielded Ramon Flores’ sharp grounder and flipped the ball to Sardinas, who made a strong throw to first.

Actually, Sardinas didn’t even need to make the throw.

Villar violated the new rules regarding slides at second base by going beyond the baseline. Umpire Pat Hoberg signaled a double play.

PLUS: Seth Smith had singles in his two at-bats before leaving the game prior to the Milwaukee fifth. He is 4 for 4 in his two games. … Right-hander Cody Martin, who is likely ticketed for the Triple-A Tacoma rotation, worked two scoreless inning after replacing starter Walker.

MINUS: Walker’s leadoff walk in the second inning to Kirk Nieuwenhuis turned into a run. … The Mariners wasted leadoff singles in the second and fifth innings when Chris Iannetta and Mike Zunino hit into double plays. … The Mariners had only two at-bats with runners in scoring position.

QUOTABLE: Mariners Manager Scott Servais spent the past four years as the Angels’ assistant general manager for scouting and player development, but doesn’t attach any significance to Saturday’s game against his former club.

“It’s spring training,” he said. “We’re going to play them 19 times this year. They’ve got a really good team. Everybody knows that. It will be very competitive with them all year long.”

SHORT HOPS: Both players involved in the Nov. 20 trade between Seattle and Milwaukee were in the starting lineup Friday: Luis Sardinas at shortstop for the Mariners and Ramon Flores in center field for the Brewers. … The Milwaukee first baseman, Wilkins, who hit a two-run homer in the seventh, was a Mariner for 12 days last December. Seattle acquired him in a Dec. 2 waiver claim from Baltimore, but lost him in a Dec. 14 waiver claim to Texas. The Brewers got him in a Dec. 23 waiver claim from the Rangers.

UP NEXT: The Mariners get their first look at an American League West rival, the Los Angeles Angels, at 12:10 p.m. Pacific time Saturday at Peoria Stadium.

For Seattle, lefty Wade Miley, acquired in December from Boston, will start and pitch the first two innings. Joel Peralta, Vidal Nuno, Jonathan Aro, Tony Zych and Blake Parker also are scheduled to pitch.

The Angels list lefty Andrew Heaney as their starter. Also scheduled: Huston Street, Joe Smith, Cam Bedrosian, ex-Mariner Rob Rasmussen, Greg Mahle, Nate Smith, Victor Alcantara and A.J. Archer.

This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 5:21 PM with the headline "Brewers 5, Mariners 2: Baxter provides only highlights in loss."