Kikuchi (1-1) allowed four earned runs on 10 hits and two walks over five innings in a win over the Angels on Saturday. He struck out three.
As his final line indicates, the left-hander pitched to plenty of contact, but he managed to limit just enough damage to still finish with a win by night's end. Kikuchi didn't let the ball leave the yard, but he did give up plenty of hard contact in the form of a trio of doubles and one three-bagger. The 27-year-old has allowed at least three earned runs in each of his last four trips to the mound and is now slated to work as a one- or two-inning opener in one of his next two starts as part of the Mariners' maintenance program for him in his first season stateside.