TUCSON, Ariz.—Colorado starting pitcher Jeff Francis is striving to get more outs by pitching inside to batters.
The plan didn’t work the first time he faced Seattle’s Richie Sexson, who hit a towering home run, but Francis found his spots the rest of the way during the Rockies’ 4-1 victory over the Mariners on Tuesday.
“It is something that I have had trouble executing especially this spring so far. In the bullpen you work on it and try to take it out in the game,” Francis said. “It is something that I need to get my outs.”
Francis, who was 17-9 with a 4.22 ERA last year, threw the inside pitch to get a popup and a double-play grounder in the fifth to escape trouble with runners on first and third and none out.
He also forced several groundball outs and weak flyballs for his best outing of the spring. He struck out Sexson in the fourth inning.
“It is nice to know that I can make an adjustment and know if I don’t execute it I can go back and try it again and figure it out,” Francis said.
The Rockies’ scheduled opening-day starter went five innings, allowing three hits and only Sexson’s homer, while striking out one.
Seattle starter Felix Hernandez pitched five scoreless innings.
“I felt good. I felt strong,” Hernandez said. “I could have gone two more innings.”
Hernandez has picked up this spring where he left off a year ago, by throwing strikes and getting outs. He gave up only three singles and struck out three.
The right-hander was 8-1 over his final 13 starts in 2007 and has given up two runs and six hits in 11 innings this spring.
“Felix was great. He’s right on course,” Seattle manager John McLaren said.
Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki extended his hitless streak this spring to 21. The career .333 hitter is 0-for-21 after going hitless in four at-bats against Colorado.
Colorado’s Ian Stewart had a two-run homer in the eighth off J.J. Putz.
