PEORIA, Ariz. -- Except for the bag of ice taped to his shoulder, Aaron Miles gave little indication that he's recovering from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for nearly a week.
Miles went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored in the Chicago Cubs' 9-2 win over a Seattle Mariners split squad Thursday.
"The shoulder's doing great, it's feeling better all the time," Miles said. "I'm not feeling it one bit out there. It's not in my head so it's not affecting me."
Since returning to Chicago's lineup two days ago, Miles has five hits, scored three runs and raised his average from .267 to .344.
He singled and scored as part of a six-run third inning against Gaby Hernandez, doubled and scored again in the fourth then hit a leadoff double in the seventh.
"I feel like my timing has come around and I feel like I'm more season ready right now than I was two weeks ago, that's for sure," Miles said. "That's the way it should be for most guys."
Micah Hoffpauir and Jake Fox hit back-to-back home runs in the third for Chicago, which is unbeaten in three Cactus League games against the Mariners this spring.
Cubs right-hander Aaron Heilman, who was briefly a member of the Mariners in the offseason, held Seattle to four hits over 3 2/3 innings. He allowed one unearned run while striking out three and walking one.
Heilman joined the Mariners as part the deal that sent J.J. Putz to the Mets in December. Seven weeks later, the right-hander was dealt to Chicago in exchange for infielder Ronny Cedeno and outfielder Endy Chavez in January.
Chavez, who is playing for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, will probably be Seattle's left fielder whenever Ken Griffey Jr.'s surgically repaired left knee needs a break. Cedeno, who went 0-for-2, is challenging Yuniesky Betancourt for the starting shortstop job.
Heilman will most likely open the regular season as a setup man in the bullpen, though Chicago could also put him into its starting rotation at some point.
"I thought he threw the ball well," Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild said. "As long as [his pitches] are down around the knees, his stuff's real good and hitters can't lift it at all."
Miles was sidelined for six days with a bruised right shoulder after he fell while running to first base against Seattle on March 10.
The veteran infielder, who has spent most of his time at third base this spring, batted leadoff for Chicago but played second base as a precaution. Manager Lou Piniella wanted Miles to avoid making cross-diamond throws until his shoulder is completely healed.
Miles thinks he's ready.
"There's some slight soreness from getting back but it's feeling good," Miles said. "I don't like taking time off. Being in the training room and not out on the field is not a good feeling. There's a sense of not belonging to the team when that happens. But it is a long camp. You take it, you get your rest and you get better."
Hernandez allowed the first six Chicago batters in the third inning to reach base and score. Hoffpauir highlighted the inning with a three-run homer. Fox homered on the next pitch to make it 6-1.
"It's like we've talked about before (with Hernandez), damage control and a little bit non-aggressive," Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu said. "I like the kid but he's just going to have to get where he believes that he can do it at the major league level."
Notes
LHP Mike Stanton gave up two hits and struck out two while getting two outs for Chicago. The 41-year-old Stanton is trying to make the Cubs as a non-roster invitee. ... Before the game Seattle optioned OF Greg Halman to West-Tenn of the Southern League.
