(Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
The Tribe defeated the Seattle Mariners, 16-2, on Sunday afternoon at the Peoria Sports Complex and have won five of their last six games. Cleveland trailed twice early in the game before sending 11 men to the plate in a seven-run 4th inning. They sent eight more to the plate in a five-run 5th.
CF OSCAR MERCADO (3-for-3, 2B, 3RBI, 2R) launched his third home run of the spring to tie the game at one apiece in the top of the 3rd inning. In 14 Cactus League games, Mercado is hitting .444 (12-for-27) with a double, triple, three home runs and eight RBI. Ten other Tribe batters drove in a run, including DH HANLEY RAMIREZ (1-for-4, 2B, 2RBI), 2B RYAN FLAHERTY (1-for-3, HR, 2RBI, R) 3B JOSE RAMIREZ (0-for-1, BB, RBI, R), C KEVIN PLAWECKI (1-for-2, BB, RBI, R), C TIM FEDEROWICZ (2-for-2, HR, RBI, R), RF BRANDON BARNES (1-for-2, HR, RBI, 2R), LF MATT JOYCE (2-for-3, RBI, R), CF DANIEL JOHNSON (1-for-2, 2B, RBI, R)and SS ERIC STAMETS (1-for-2, BB, 2B, 3RBI, R). Federowicz (1st of spring) and Barnes (2nd of spring) hit back-to-back homers to lead off the 8th inning.
RHP CARLOS CARRASCO made his first start of the spring, allowing two runs (earned) on three hits and striking out four over 3.0 innings (BB, 2 solo HR). RHP ADAM PLUTKO (2.0IP, 2SO), RHP DAN OTERO (1.0IP, 1H, SO), RHP JUSTIN GRIMM (1.0IP, 1H, 2SO), RHP NICK WITTGREN (1.0IP, 1H) and RHP NICK GOODY (1.0IP, 1H, BB, SO) followed Carrasco with scoreless outings.
Cleveland returns home to Goodyear Ballpark on Monday afternoon to take on the Cincinnati Reds (1:05PM MT/4:05PM ET). RHP COREY KLUBER (0-0, ---) will make his first start of the spring against RHP ANTHONY DeSCLAFANI (0-0, 1.59) of the Reds. The game will be a MLB.com audio webcast.