CUBS 9, MARINERS (ss) 3
at Mesa, Ariz.
Thursday, March 15

Mariners at the plate: Wladimir Balentien hit an RBI single in the second. Michael Garciaparra also singled and scored on a throwing error by shortstop Cesar Izturis that inning.

Cubs at the plate: Cliff Floyd and Aramis Ramirez both homered. Floyd hit his first spring homer with two on and two out in the first. Alfonso Soriano tripled and scored on Jacque Jones' single in the third. Ramirez followed with a two-run blast. Geovany Soto hit an RBI double in the eighth.

Mariners on the mound: Cha Seung Baek gave up six runs on seven hits over three innings while striking out four. Brandon Morrow, the Mariners' No. 1 pick in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, threw two scoreless innings, giving up one hit, an infield single to Soriano, and striking out three. Morrow now has not allowed a run in five innings.

Cubs on the mound: Starter Ted Lilly gave up two runs, one earned, on four hits and one walk while striking out one over 3 2/3 innings. Bob Howry gave up one run on one hit and one walk over 1 1/3 innings.

Cactus League records: Mariners 4-11; Cubs 8-6-1.

Up next: The Mariners play host to the Kansas City Royals on Friday in Peoria. Miguel Batista is scheduled to start for Seattle. The Cubs travel to Tucson on Friday to play their intracity rivals, the Chicago White Sox. Angel Guzman, battling for a spot in the rotation, will start for the Cubs against Javier Vazquez.