The Seattle Mariners scored seven of their 10 runs between the fourth and eighth innings Thursday, wiping out strong pitching performance by Cubs' pitchers Chris Volstad and Kerry Wood on the way to a 10-3 blowout over Chicago in spring training action. Volstad and Wood worked the first four innings, yielding no runs on just two hits combined before the roof caved in on the Chicago relievers out of the bullpen.
The Cubs jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the second inning of the game played in Mesa, the Cubs Arizona spring training home. But Chicago wasn't able to hold on after the stellar performances by Volstad and Wood through the first half of the game. Seattle jumped all over normally reliable right-handed reliever Carlos Marmol, erupting for four runs in the fifth, one in the sixth, two in the seventh and three more over the final two innings.
Dustin Ackley hit a two-run round-tripper for the Mariners off of Marmol in the fifth and drive in three runs for the game.
Alfonso Soriano got the Cubs' scoring started in the second with a solo shot off of Mariners starter Kevin Millwood. It was Soriano's third home run of the spring. It was Seattle's fifth consecutive spring-training win, raising the M's record to a Cactus League leading 6-1. The Cubs's spring record fell to 2-3.
Next up for the Cubs on their spring exhibition schedule is a date in Phoenix Friday with their cross-town Windy City rivals, the White Sox.