Hisashi Iwakuma gets his work in, but tough day for Mariners pitchers in 8-2 loss to Texas

Before Hisashi Iwkauma’s first start of the spring, Mariners manager Scott Servais said he really wasn’t concerned with much more than the veteran getting his pitches in and getting out of the game healthy.

Check mark, check mark.

Kuma was not particularly sharp in his debut, giving up a well-hit double on the first pitch he threw. But he surrendered no earned runs in his two innings of the Mariners’ 8-2 loss to the Rangers, though he did see a number of things that needed work.

“Overall I think all of my pitches were up,” Iwakuma said through interpreter Antony Suzuki. “Between the breaking ball, the fastball, they got to some of the pitches that were up in the zone. I need to keep the ball down.”

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Iwakuma said that he didn’t have a good bullpen beforehand and didn’t have a good feel of his pitches in the game, but for him that was not unusual in a first outing.

“I did have more of an adrenaline rush going with the Rangers,” he said. “It’s early, we are all testing things. As an end result I did give up a lot of fly ball outs, which is something I need to think about going into the next start – keeping the ball down.”

Kuma was fortunate he was able to keep the ball in the ballpark, something the relievers struggled to do with Nick Vincent, Dillon Overton and Ryan Weber all surrendering home runs. Dan Altavilla was also hit hard, giving up three runs on two hits and two walks.

“Our pitching was obviously not as sharp today,” Servais said after the game. “We’ve pitched really well down here. A few walks today, we left some balls up, some first-pitch home runs on balls in the middle of the plate. It’s going to happen once in awhile.”

On the positive side, Mitch Haniger hit his second home run of the spring, and it traveled far, going out to center with the wind blowing in. Jarrod Dyson showed off the legs again, going 2 for 3 with a triple, and Robinson Cano hit a double and picked up two more walks, giving him seven free passes in 16 plate appearances this spring.

Up next for the Mariners, the Rockies at Salt River Fields. Yovani Gallardo is scheduled to throw innings, after which James Paxton will make his spring debut and throw two.