Your Mariners are Rookie-level Arizona League champions!

OK, so don’t go crazy, but the Mariners beat the Giants 8-5 yesterday to win the league thanks in part to a four-run first inning outburst. That was more than enough for righthander Jacob Wild, who struck out 14 in eight innings for the victory.

It’s a great way for Wild to end his strong pro season. A former Bakersfield (Calif.) JC product (and 17th round pick of the White Sox in 2004), Wild is coming off two rough years at Pacific, when he went 3-13, 5.88. The 23-year-old righthander is 6-foot-5, 190 pounds and had a great year (as he should at his age) in the AZL, going 3-1, 1.88 with 62 strikeouts in 48 innings.

Mario Martinez–who signed for $600,000 last year–finished strong in the AZL this year and went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI to lead the team’s 11-hit attack.

The Mariners had won the first half of the AZL season and owned the AZL’s top record at 37-19, while the Giants won the second half.