PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) -Russell Branyan's first home run of the spring wasn't even his most impressive hit.

That came on the Seattle first baseman's double off the 30-foot high wall that stands atop a 12-foot high wall in center field, which drove in two runs during the Mariners' 11-7 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.

Advertisement

The ball easily soared over the smaller wall in center and just missed clearing the attached wall, hitting 3 feet from the top before caroming back into the field.

``I hit it good, there's just a 50-foot wall out there in center field you have to clear,' Branyan said. ``So it's part of the game here in Arizona. I'd say it was probably one of my better games this spring. I barreled up four balls today and got two hits out of it.'

The deep shot drove in Franklin Gutierrez and Ken Griffey Jr., who singled and scored twice. Wladimir Balentien added a three-run shot for the Mariners.

Branyan, who began last season in the minors before being called up and splitting time at third base for Milwaukee, signed a $1.4 million, one-year contract in the offseason to be Seattle's first baseman.

The 32-year-old, who has 133 home runs in 11 major league seasons, should add some much-needed pop to the Mariners' lineup - just like he did with his homer and deep double.

``When you hit a ball that far you still gotta run,' joked Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu. ``He got caught watching the paint dry there. Those guys were working on that today, seeing who could go over the monster in BP and he almost did it in a game.'

Balentien and Branyan homered on consecutive pitches in the first to give Seattle a 4-0 lead. After Arizona scored off Mariners starter Ryan Rowland-Smith in the top of the second, Branyan drove in two with his double.

Mark Reynolds, Justin Upton and Tony Clark had two hits apiece for Arizona.

Right-hander Seth Etherton, who had Tommy John surgery last year, started in place of lefty Doug Davis and lasted just 1 2-3 innings, giving up seven runs - four earned - on six hits.

The Diamondbacks also committed four errors leading to three unearned runs.

``As a whole we really stunk it up defensively,' Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. ``You're going to have games like that, but it doesn't mean you have to. It ended up costing us the game.'

Griffey, who went hitless in two plate appearances in an exhibition game against Australia's World Baseball Classic team Wednesday, walked and scored in his first two at_bats against before a base hit off Diamondbacks reliever Billy Buckner.

Wakamatsu immediately sent in Chris Shelton to pinch-run for Griffey, who waved to the Seattle dugout before jogging down the first base line toward the fence and running to the team's nearby clubhouse.

``I told Don I was going to hit a single (and) probably just keep running down the first base line if I beat it out,' Griffey said. ``I turned around, looked at him, and I waved. He waved back.'

Notes: Roberts, a non-roster invitee, continues to impress the Diamondbacks. The second baseman went 2-for-4 and is batting .429 this spring. ... Arizona has lost its last three Cactus League games.