Garland makes long-awaited return in M’s win

Jon Garland pitched for the first time in nearly 20 months, Franklin Gutierrez and Nick Franklin hit home runs and the Seattle Mariners won their sixth straight, beating the San Francisco Giants 4-3 on Thursday in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Justin Smoak collected two more hits and drove in a run for the Mariners. Alex Liddi also drove in a run.

Brandon Belt had two hits, including a homer, and scored both runs for the Giants, who are winless in their last five games. Brandon Crawford and Cole Gillespie had the RBIs.

Garland, who last pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 2, 2011, said he was satisfied with his brief outing. He allowed a hit and walked one in one inning.

Giants ace Matt Cain lasted three innings, giving up three runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out two.

Smoak is hitting .583 this spring with six RBIs.

Anderson named A’s opening-day starter

Announced as Oakland’s opening-day starter before the game, Brett Anderson allowed one hit in two scoreless innings in the Athletics’ 5-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs in Mesa, Ariz.

The 25-year-old left-hander, 4-2 with a 2.57 ERA in six starts last year after he recovered from elbow surgery.

Anderson struck out one and walked none in his first outing of spring training.

Manager Bob Melvin said Anderson’s dedication during rehabilitation last year is an indication of what a No. 1 starter is about.

“Based on the guys that we have and how successfully he came back for us last year, we really feel like he’s the man to lead the staff,” Melvin said. “He worked hard to get back and put himself in a position to compete with us at a time of the season where there’s no easing into things. You got to be good right away, and he was. Then he gets hurt (oblique) and we think he’s done, and he works just as hard to get back and pitch in a playoff game.”

Mets LHP Feliciano OK to resume baseball activity

New York Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano has been cleared to resume baseball activity while wearing a heart monitor.

Mets manager Terry Collins says he thinks Feliciano still will have enough time in spring training to get ready for the start of the season.

The 36-year-old Feliciano was with the New York Yankees for the last two seasons but didn’t pitch because of shoulder trouble. He returned to the Mets in the offseason.

Feliciano visited a heart clinic in Minneapolis this week for tests. The exam showed he had a rare genetic condition.

Feliciano said in a statement that the condition won’t prevent him from pitching.