End Game: Cubs 6, Mariners 5

Nice ninth-inning rally by the M's (three runs) and Matt Tuiasosopo has a chance to win or tie it with a hit with two outs, but he strikes out swinging. Good moment for the youngster, though. He had the crowd behind him and was up there swinging against a proven major-leaguer in Cubs P Bob Howry.

Notes:
-Ichiro is now 0-for-5 with a walk in two games.
-Mike Morse is still on a tear after his ninth inning double to left off the wall on the fly. Morse is 5-for-7 in the spring (.714).
-Miguel Batista hopes to redeem himself after a rough outing in the charity game last Thursday. He starts tomorrow at Oakland in Phoenix. Batista gave up two earned runs on two hits and walked three in 2 1/3 innings.

Seventh-inning stretch

As they sing a Harry Caray classic, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," the Cubbies have broken ths one open with a run in the sixth and two in the seventh. It's 6-2 Chicago. Washburn spoke of how his changed grip on his changeup worked out well today.
"I'm always up for trying something new," Washburn said. "So far it feels good. It's just a slight variation of the grip I used last year, basically. I just move the ball a little bit in my fingers and I have the pressure point
in a different spot. More pressure on the middle finger and I hope it doesn't cut."

Top 5

Nice defensive play by Jose Lopez, who catches the carom off SS Mark Kiger's glove on a hard ground ball from Chicago's Matt Murton and fires to first in time for the out. Two out.

End 3rd

In keeping with the spirit of the Cubs, I thought I would change the headline to an Ernie Banks quote.
Washburn's day is over. I got him for 40 total pitches, 26 for strikes. No runs, four hits, 1 strikeout. Pretty effective.

Top 3

I assumed wrong. Washburn is working so fast that he is back out there for another inning. He hits a batter but also picks off another runner after a single.

Bottom 2

OK, that's the second straight day that a Mariners hitter has pegged an opposing pitcher with a hit ball. Jeremy Reed did it and got an infield hit for an RBI, Reed's first hit of the spring. The Mariners hit the ball hard off of Cubs starter Jon Lieber with two runs on three hits in the inning. 2-0 Seattle.

Top 2
Another hit given up by Washburn, but he worked fast and never got deep into counts. This inning he threw only 9 pitches. Six were strikes. 25 total. Wow. Washburn's day, I assume at this point, is over and it lasted 16 minutes of game time.

Top 1
Nick Lachey, the celebrity/co-owner of the AAA Tacoma Rainiers, is watching this game from a broadcasters' booth. He's wearing his Rainiers jersey.
Jarrod Washburn throws 16 pitches in the first inning, allows no runs on two hits. Ten of Washburn's pitches were strikes.

The Cubs haven't won yet. I was just channeling Harry Caray from the days when I used to leave junior high, get home on the bus and turn on WGN to catch the last inning or two of a Cubs game with Harry and Steve Stone on the broadcast. Game on. 1:08 p.m. Arizona time, 65 degrees with a nice wind blowing out to left field.