PEORIA, Ariz. — Backup infielder Jose Ramirez hit two home runs and the Cleveland Indians topped the Seattle Mariners 3-1 Sunday.
Ramirez hit a solo shot in the first inning and a two-run homer in the third against Wade Miley.
“They came off his bat so well,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “That’s good to see. If you’ve got a guy that’s coming in and playing, I don’t know three or four times a week, if he has the ability to change a game, that’s really helpful.”
Miley, who will open the season as Seattle’s third or fourth starter, pitched well against Cleveland’s other eight batters. In five innings, he allowed four hits overall.
“I feel great,” Miley said. “I feel like I’m in a good spot, where I need to be at. Pitch count is getting where it needs to be.”
Indians starter T.J. House, who projects as a long reliever, had a solid outing, throwing four scoreless innings. He gave up three hits.
Marlon Byrd, who signed a minor league contract on Friday, went 0 for 3 in his Indians debut.
STARTING TIME
Indians: House missed most of last season — he made four starts in April before being sidelined with a shoulder injury — but Francona was encouraged by what he saw from the 26-year-old left-hander.
“He was pretty good,” Francona said. “He threw strikes at the bottom of the zone. I think he’s still trying to find that breaking ball that he had before.”
House allowed one base runner to reach second base and worked two 1-2-3 innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Indians: A day after hitting a home run in his Cactus League debut, outfielder Michael Brantley did not play. Francona expects Brantley, who had shoulder surgery in November, to play today.
Mariners: Outfielder/first baseman Stefen Romero has not played in a game since March 15 because of back spasms but could be healthy enough to be in the lineup on Monday.
UP NEXT
Indians: Right-hander Carlos Carrasco (1-1, 2.00 ERA) will celebrate his 29th birthday and make his fourth spring start when he meets Chicago White Sox right-hander Scott Carroll (0-0, 7.20 ERA) today.
