Brian Wilson throws knuckleball, Trayvon Robinson homers in loss to Mariners

GLENDALE -- Brian Wilson didn't get to bat on Tuesday, but he did get to start in the Dodgers' 4-1 loss to the Mariners at Camelback Ranch. Wilson, with 333 relief appearances in his career and no starts, started the "bullpen game" on Tuesday and pitched a perfect inning with one strikeout. He even dropped in a knuckleball for a strike with his first pitch of the game (thanks to Cut4):

Kenley Jansen followed with a perfect second inning, with one strikeout, and setup man Chris Perez struck out two in a scoreless fifth inning.

The Mariners scored some runs off J.P. Howell and Jamey Wright, with the help of a couple errors, for the win. Here are some notes from Tuesday:

• Trayvon Robinson, back with the Dodgers on a minor league deal, came up from minor league camp and homered for the Dodgers' only run of the game.
• Manager Don Mattingly on second base still being wide open: "I don't think anybody can sit here and say 'That's my position.' That doesn't make it a straight platoon, but it may make it where it's a little bit of a mix and match. By the time we leave here, I think we'll be pretty comfortable at second base. When it's all said and done, with our combination of guys, we're going to be in pretty good shape when we leave here."
• Alex Guerrero is expected to start at second for the Dodgers on Wednesday. Dee Gordon, who played four innings at second base on Tuesday, is expected to start in center field.
• Chone Figgins started at second base, his fifth different position of the spring, and is tied for the team lead in plate appearances with Guerrero at 15. Figgins is expected to get Wednesday off after going 0-for-5 the last two games. "His at-bats early were pretty good. Yesterday and today were a little stagnant," Mattingly said. "Again, I think it's going to be in and out. We're trying to get him a lot of at-bats, hopefully we can find some rhythm."
  
• Former Dodgers closer Eric Gagne will be back at Camelback Ranch on Wednesday, managing Team France in an exhibition game against Dodgers minor leaguers on one of the back fields.
  

Alternate photo choice

Yasiel Puig had two throws in the third inning, one good and one not so good. The throw home (the good throw) left him a bit off balance:

Photo: USA Today

Up next

The Dodgers head to Goodyear on Tuesday night to battle the Reds, which more importantly means a late reporting time and the only sleeping in day of the spring. Hyun-jin Ryu gets the start for the Dodgers, against new $100 million man Homer Bailey.

Tuesday particulars

Home run: Trayvon Robinson (1)

WP - Felix Hernandez (1-0): 2 IP, 2 hits, 1 walk, 1 strikeout

LP - J.P. Howell (0-1): 1 IP, 4 hits, 3 runs (2 earned runs), 1 strikeout

Sv - Dominic Leone (1): 3 ip, 3 down