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Mariners pound Zito, Athletics

Seattle's Miguel Olivo beats the tag of Oakland catcher Jason Kendall while scoring on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Tim Korte Associated Press
Seattle's Miguel Olivo beats the tag of Oakland catcher Jason Kendall while scoring on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

PEORIA, Ariz. – Each outing has a little more importance for Jamie Moyer.

Moyer allowed one hit in five innings Tuesday as the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 11-4.

The 42-year-old lefty, making his third appearance this spring, gave up one run with five strikeouts and three walks. He had thrown five innings up to this point, but hoped to do a little more.

“There’s a belief that you don’t really have to push yourself early on,” Moyer said. “I feel like we’re getting to the middle of spring training. Each pitch and each outing has a little more meaning in preparation for the season.”

Seattle roughed up Barry Zito, scoring three runs in both the second and third innings. Zito, who had not allowed an earned run in six innings this spring, gave up six runs – four earned – in three innings.

Zito admitted he was overthrowing a little. He doubled up and even tripled up curveballs.

“I was just kind of doing things that I wouldn’t normally do during the year, but things I need to do now to establish my pitches,” he said. “I was just a little more free and easy in the first two outings.”

Seattle’s offense woke up, with Justin Leone hitting a two-run double. Shin-Soo Choo, starting in right field on a rare day off for Ichiro Suzuki, had three singles and scored twice.

Manager Mike Hargrove was impressed by the youngsters.

“We keep putting them in there and they keep taking advantage of the situation. That’s good to see,” Hargrove said. “Our guys that we’re looking at to be regulars swung the bat well and played good defense up until that last inning.

Huston Street, a 21-year-old right-hander who is considered Oakland’s closer of the future, worked one inning of relief in the fourth, giving up his first run of spring training.

Miguel Olivo opened the fourth with a leadoff double off Street. Randy Winn moved him to third on a groundout, and Jeremy Reed’s sacrifice fly put Seattle up 7-1.

Oakland scored twice in the ninth off Ron Villone, who worked two innings but gave three runs on seven hits.

Note

Ichiro Suzuki and first baseman Richie Sexson were scratched. Suzuki fouled a ball off his right foot Monday, while Sexson had a sore quadriceps.