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Hodges, Valbuena hitting stars for Tribe

Pair combine for five hits, five RBIs; Laffey has strong outing

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By Jim Street / MLB.com

03/09/10 6:10 PM EST

Indians 6, Mariners 3
Peoria, Ariz.
Tuesday, March 9

Indians at the plate: First baseman Wes Hodges went 2-for-3 with two doubles and his first four RBIs of the spring. He drilled a game-tying two-run double to left field in the fifth inning and nearly cleared the tall wall in center field in the sixth inning, driving in two more runs to cap a three-run rally. Former Mariners infielder Luis Valbuena had three hits, including a double, and scored two runs.

Mariners at the plate: Former Indians outfielder Franklin Gutierrez singled in the second inning, but was caught stealing, and lined a two-run triple in the fourth. Left fielder Corey Patterson, competing for a backup role, doubled in the third inning. Brad Nelson, pinch-hitting for Ken Griffey Jr. in the eighth inning, singled into right field.

Indians on the mound: Left-hander Aaron Laffey looked sharp, tossing two scoreless innings. He retired six of the seven batters he faced and the only runner that reached base was caught stealing. Right-handed reliever Justin Masterson was less than masterful, surrendering three hits and two runs in 1 1/3 innings. Right-hander Jensen Lewis inherited a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the eighth inning and got out of it with just one run being scored.

Mariners on the mound: Left-hander Jason Vargas, a candidate for the fifth spot in the rotation, had his second consecutive solid outing, going 3 2/3 scoreless innings. He held the Indians to two hits and struck out one. Relievers Yusmeiro Petit and Steven Shell struggled, combining for six hits and five runs in 3 1/3 innings.

Cactus League records: Indians 4-0, Mariners, 3-4.

Worth noting: Ace Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez pitched a two-inning simulated game on one of the practice fields at the Peoria Sports Complex. He faced nine batters, retired eight of them (one reached on a wind-blown fly ball to center field) and threw 35 pitches. He will throw a bullpen between now and his first Cactus League start, scheduled for Sunday in Tucson against the Rockies.

What's next: Left-hander Cliff Lee makes his Cactus League debut with the Mariners on Wednesday, tossing the first two or three innings against the Rangers in Surprise, Ariz. Game time is 12:05 p.m. PT. Lee will throw between 45 and 50 pitches, according to pitching coach Rick Adair. Lee has been brought along slowly this spring while recovering from surgery to remove a bone spur from his left foot.

Grady Sizemore has progressed well in his recovery from September surgeries on his left elbow and left abdominal, and his progression figures to continue Wednesday at Goodyear Ballpark, when he should be in the Tribe's starting lineup against the Padres. Left-hander David Huff will make the 3:05 p.m. ET/1:05 p.m. MT start.

Jim Street is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.