Miller fans 8 in limit-shortened outing; Bradley fares well vs. A's
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Shelby Miller struck out eight batters but had to work to do so and didn't get to the fifth inning Friday in the Diamondbacks' 9-5 loss to the Mariners in a split-squad game at Salt River Fields.
Miller, making his fourth Cactus League start after pitching in a minor league intrasquad game five days earlier, gave up just three hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings. But he had several long battles and deep counts that contributed to a less-efficient outing.
"It's nice to get some swings and misses and strikeouts are always nice," Miller said. "They let to know where your stuff is at and today I felt sharp. But I wasn't nowhere near as efficient as I need to be."
Miler approached his 75-pitch limit when he struck out Taylor Motter to lead off the fourth.
If the D-backs stay in rotation, Miller's next day to pitch is the team's off day on Wednesday, meaning he likely will make just one more Cactus League appearance on March 27.
Meanwhile across town, Archie Bradley continued to vie for a rotation spot with five innings of one-run ball in a 3-2 win over the A's at Hohokam Park.
Bradley gave up five hits and struck out two. Oakland's only run against him came on a Ryon Healy home run in the fourth.
ROSTER MOVES
The D-backs on Friday optioned reliever Enrique Burgos and infielders Jack Reinheimer and Ildemaro Vargas to Triple-A Reno, and infielder Domingo Leyba to Double-A Jackson. The team has 49 players in camp with two weeks to go.
