The efficiency and quickness that Matt Festa displayed while working a 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth inning vs. the Cubs would make you think he had a plane to catch after Wednesday’s game at Sloan Park. Well, actually Festa does have a flight, but that’s Thursday morning. So there was no hurry to avoid running through the crowds of Skyharbor Airport. No, this outing was typical of what kept him in the Mariners bullpen all of last season.

Facing MLB players, Festa struck out Trey Mancini swinging, put a fastball on the hands of Edwin Rios for a weak one-bouncer to third for an out and then got Yan Gomes to chase a 1-2 slider down that resulted in a pop out to first baseman Mike Ford in foul territory.