Dbacks 3, Mariners 1: Night Baseball is Back!

Peoria, Ariz. — Night baseball returned to the desert on a postcard-perfect Friday evening as the Arizona Diamondbacks edged the Seattle Mariners 3-1 in their first spring-training game under the lights. A three-run, second-inning homer by outfield prospect AJ Vukovich provided all the offense the D-backs would need, while a dominant pitching performance carried them the rest of the way.

Vukovich, 24, turned on a full-count sinker from Seattle ace Luis Castillo and launched it to right-center for a three-run shot that left the yard despite a launch angle of 36 degrees—an indication that the desert breeze may have lent a hand. The blast, his second of the spring, capped the scoring for Arizona and showcased the power that resurfaced last season in Reno, where he hit 22 home runs and posted an .853 OPS. Over his final 30 games with the Aces, Vukovich batted .354 with five homers, putting him firmly in the conversation for a fourth-outfielder role should Lourdes Gurriel Jr. open the year on the injured list.

The rest of the D-backs’ offense was quiet—Vukovich’s swing accounted for every RBI—but a pair of hitters continued encouraging springs. Third-base hopeful Ivan Groover collected two hits, steadying concerns about his glove work at the hot corner, while shortstop Ildemaro Vargas added two more knocks to solidify his case for an Opening-Day roster spot.

On the mound, Arizona was in control from the outset. Right-hander Ryne Nelson struck out three over two crisp innings, repeatedly touching 97 mph with a four-seam fastball that averaged 19 inches of induced vertical break. His cutter generated whiffs on 60 percent of swings, and every offering graded above-average via Pitch Profiler’s stuff model. The performance offered a dose of optimism for a rotation suddenly in flux after recent injury news created an opening-day vacancy.

The bullpen followed Nelson’s lead and never relented. Veteran Taylor Clarke, 2021 first-rounder Landon Sims, and fast-rising righty Daniel Eagan each tossed scoreless frames. Eagan, whose rookie campaign last summer drew rave reviews, punched out five over two innings, pairing a 95-mph heater with 19 inches of IVB and a sharp curveball that kept Mariners hitters off balance. His cutter registered a 110 stuff-plus rating, boosting his overall mark to 104, according to TJ Stats.

By the final out, the combination of Vukovich’s lone swing and a string of zeros on the scoreboard delivered Arizona a 3-1 victory—and reminded everyone that night baseball is officially back.

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