M'S GET A SPLIT --- They lost their other game today to the Brewers in Maryvale, 6-2. Sounds like some pretty shaking fielding in that one. So a day when there was some good and some bad --- probably just about the norm for the first week of spring. Also sounds like I might have written that story about Jose Lopez settling in at third base either just in time or a bit premature.

M'S HOLD ON TO WIN 5-4 --- Fields hit a batter, then gave up a triple, making it 5-4 with the tying run on third and no outs. But Fields then did a nice job getting out of it with a 1-3 on a broken bat, a strikeout on three straight of Jayson Nix and then a 6-3.

M'S UP 5-3 HEADING TO BOTTOM OF NINTH --- I have to head to the field soon for post-game interviews but will update as I can.

WHITE SOX GET UNEARNED RUN --- An error by Chris Woodward, now at short with Tui moving to third, allowed the White Sox to score a run --- he threw away a toss to second that could have been a double play. But a 3-6-3 DP ended the inning so the M's still lead 5-3 going to the ninth.

STILL 5-2 HEADING TO THE BOTTOM OF EIGHT --- Olson had one walk and one strikeout in a scoreless seventh. Kaneoka Texeira is now on the mound for the Mariners.

ROWLAND-SMITH HAPPY WITH HIS DAY --- He said he was pleased with his first outing, noting his command --- 22 strikes on 28 pitches. The HR to Konerko was a fastball he left too much over the plate. Otherwise, he said he was happy with his day, especially getting out of that jam in the second with a double-play --- only the one run score on the HR.

"I wanted to work on my fastball command,'' he said. "I left it up a little bit at the beginning of the second inning, but other than that happy with all my pitches.''

He said he is also working on a cut fastball and said he thought that went well today, as well.

TO THE TOP OF THE EIGHTH --- M's still up 5-2. Good inning for Olson.

TO BOTTOM OF SEVENTH, OLSON NOW ON MOUND FOR M'S --- Mariners still up 5-2.

M'S NOW UP 5-2 --- Everidge has a pinch-hit single to score the second run as the Mariners now have five runs on nine hits and still batting with two outs in the seventh.

M'S TAKE 3-2 LEAD --- We're into the top of the seventh. Sorry for the belated post --- went to talk to J.J. Putz. Seattle scored two in the sixth when Sweeney singled, and then Jones as his pinch-runner eventually scored on a single by Tuiasosopo, who is 3-3 today. Tui then scored on a sac fly by Woodward.

ANOTHER HIT FOR SWEENEY --- An infield hit up the middle to lead off the sixth with Sox ahead 2-1. He's 2-3 today, 8-10 for spring. And he's now out of the game for a pinch-runner, James Jones.

RIOS HR FOR SOX --- 2-1 White Sox in bottom of fourth on HR off David Pauley.

M's went down in the fourth on a bunt, a walk to Ichiro, fly out and a Gutierrez double play off Putz.

TUI WITH TWO PLAYS AT SHORT IN FOURTH --- 1-2-3 for White Sox in fourth, two on 6-3's turned by Tuiasosopo. One, off the bat of Quentin, was hit right to him and he made a high throw that Kotchman corralled. He then roamed to his left to get a grounder hit by Pierzysnki over the bag and made a nice throw for the third out.

Putz now pitching for White Sox.

1-1 TO THE BOTTOM OF THE FOURTH --- Threat ended after the Tuiasosopo double so it's 1-1 heading to the bottom of four.

TUI WITH A DOUBLE OFF THE WALL IN LEFT --- He ties it up with a drive to the wall on a 2-0 pitch off Sergio Santos. Kotchman had doubled with one out off Erick Threets.

1-2-3 FOR SOX IN THIRD --- Good inning for Feierabend and now M's bat in fourth.

ROWLAND-SMITH'S LINE --- Two innings, three hits, one run (the homer), one earned run, two strikeouts, 28 pitches, 22 strikes.

M'S GO DOWN 1-2-3 --- No nothing in the third. Gutierrez ended it with a 6-3. Feierabend now pitching for M's.

SOX GET ONE BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE --- Konerko hit a lead off homer and Pierzynski and Rios followed with singles. But the M's then turned a 6-4-3 DP on a ball hit by Kotsay, the first chance this spring for Tuiasosopo at shortstop --- it wasn't a tough play as the ball was hit right to him. And then Teahen struck out, so it's 1-0 White Sox going to the third.

NO DICE FOR M'S IN SECOND --- Mariners loaded the bases with two outs on singles by Sweeney and Tuiasosopo and a walk by Bard. But Carrera struck out on a full count on what appeared to be a high fastball, ending the threat.

ANOTHER HIT FOR SWEENEY --- He hit the first pitch of second inning up the middle for a single and is now 7-8 for the spring.

1-2-3 START FOR ROWLAND-SMITH --- White Sox go down easily in their half of the first. Well, pretty easily. Figgins roamed to his right to make a nice stop of a leadoff grounder by Juan Pierre for a 4-3. Beckham then struck out and Quentin out on a routine 5-3. 0-0 going to the second.

MARINERS GO DOWN SCORELESS --- Figgins walked with one out, but Gutierrez, in his first at-bat of the spring, struck out (he tried to check his swing but was called out). And Figgins then was picked off on a hit-and-run. The M's had tried it a couple times earlier in the at-bat but Sweeney hit a couple balls foul. So no score going to the bottom of the first.

GAME IS ON --- First pitch at 1:04 p.m. here, temperature of 64. Ichiro struck out swinging against Floyd to start the game.

BREWERS GAME ON TV --- The game in Maryvale against the Brewers will be shown on a delayed basis today at 4 p.m. on the MLB Network.

MARINERS LINEUP ---

Here's the lineup for the White Sox game:

Ichiro, RF
Chone Figgins, 2B
Franklin Gutierrez, CF
Mike Sweeney, DH
Casey Kotchman, 1B
Matt Tuiasosopo, SS
Chris Woodward, 3B
Josh Bard, C
Ezequiel Carrera, LF
Ryan Rowland-Smith, P

Other Mariner pitchers who could throw against the White Sox include Ryan Feierabend, Garrett Olson and Josh Fields.

WHITE SOX LINEUP ---

Here it is:
Juan Pierre, LF
Gordon Beckham, 2B
Carlos Quentin, RF
Paul Konerko, 1B
A.J. Pierzynski, C
Alex Rios, CF
Mark Kotsay, DH
Mark Teahan, 3B
Alexei Ramirez, SS
Gavin Floyd, P

The second White Sox today is scheduled to be former Mariner closer J.J. Putz.

GAMES A GO --- The sun is beginning to peak through, so the Mariners will get their two games in today.

After much hemming and hawing, I decided to come to Glendale and see the Mariners play the White Sox. This is where Matt Tuiasosopo will start at shortstop and Franklin Gutierrez play for the first time this year, so thought that would all be worth seeing.

Ryan Rowland-Smith is pitching here, as well.

We're told they'll pass along info to us on the other game, as well. So what I get, I'll throw on here, as well.

The downside to coming here is that manager Don Wakamatsu is going to the other game against the Brewers in Maryvale. But also told we should get some comments from him on anything big that happens.

Gametime is about 45 minutes away so I'll pick up the blog then.