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Recap: Indians , Mariners
 •  BT Movements
Game: 0
Venue:
Date: April 01, 2009 4:05 PM EDT
  

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) -This move was hardly a surprise: Felix Hernandez will get the ball on opening day for the Seattle Mariners.

Manager Don Wakamatsu revealed his expected choice after Hernandez threw six innings in his final spring start Wednesday against the Cleveland Indians, a game that ended in a 14-14 tie on a breezy afternoon that featured seven homers.

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Monday's game in Minnesota will be Hernandez's second opening-day start.

``It would be a big honor, a big honor, like 2007,' a coy Hernandez said before Wakamatsu made the official announcement. ``For me, to be the ace of this staff, I'm excited for that. (Erik) Bedard is an ace too. But if he gives me that honor, I'm going to be happy.'

Hernandez allowed six runs, four earned, and nine hits against Cleveland. He struck out five and walked none.

Cliff Lee also struggled in his final spring start for Cleveland, yielding seven runs and nine hits in five innings. The AL Cy Young Award winner will make his first opening-day start on Monday at Texas.

``That's where you want to be as a starting pitcher, you want to be the No. 1 starter and you want to be the guy that gets the ball the first day,' Lee said.

Wakamatsu is still keeping most of his rotation a secret but dropped a few hints on Wednesday. Aside from saying Hernandez will start the opener, Wakamatsu also confirmed the Mariners will go into the regular season without a left-hander in the bullpen. That means lefty Ryan Rowland-Smith will be in the rotation.

How the entire rotation breaks down won't be known until Thursday morning because Wakamatsu had yet to speak with one pitcher about the situation. The remaining question is how Wakamatsu lines up behind Hernandez with Bedard, Jarrod Washburn, Carlos Silva and Rowland-Smith.

Bedard threw in a Triple-A game in Phoenix while Hernandez was facing the Indians, meaning either could have gone on normal rest in the season opener. Bedard was hampered by the wind and some shoddy defense, allowing 11 hits and nine earned runs in four innings against the Brewers' top farm club.

Also throwing in Phoenix was prospective closer Brandon Morrow, whose control problems continue to leave a hole in the Mariners bullpen. Morrow recorded just two outs, walked three and hit a batter.

Seattle's closer situation remains unsettled, with no one making a strong push for the job.

``The walks are our biggest concern right now, command, those type of things,' Wakamatsu said of all his pitchers.

Hernandez and Lee won't be disappointed leaving behind the dry air and breezy afternoons of Arizona. Lee gave up three homers, although only one probably would have cleared the fence at most parks. He will leave his first spring training in Arizona with a 12.46 ERA, but feeling his arm is ready for opening day.

``It's been a strange spring. I feel good, I feel strong, I feel like my pitches are where they need to be, the results are just not there,' Lee said. ``I'm ready to get out of this environment and get into the real thing.'

Ken Griffey Jr. hit his second spring homer for Seattle, a two-run shot in the seventh. But his adventures adjusting to left field continued, including an error in the first inning on Travis Hafner's single. Griffey appeared to have a chance to catch it in the air, then bobbled the ball after it bounced.

Notes: Seattle OF Mike Wilson set a new team record for homers during spring training with his eighth, a two-run shot in the second off Lee that would have been out at any park. ... Cleveland LF Ben Francisco went 5-for-6 with a homer, two doubles, four RBIs and four runs scored.

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The Associated Press
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