By Ryan Divish

The Seattle Times

Perhaps it’s fitting that the Mariners’ final game of 2021 spring training ended in a tie. When Brady Lail somehow managed to instinctively grab the hard one-hopper back at the mound, then look into his glove to make sure the ball was really in there and then throw to first with a smile, it meant the game Monday ended with the go-ahead run stranded on third base.

With Lail saving the game from being a defeat, and instead a 5-5 tie, the Mariners finished their Cactus League schedule with an 11-11-6 record. Yes, Seattle had six ties this spring.

Seattle jumped to a five-run lead, scoring three runs in the first inning off Reds starter Brandon Finnegan. Evan White ripped a two-run double to left-center and Taylor Trammell had to settle for a run-scoring double after his line drive to right-center hit off the wall about a foot below being a home run. Sam Haggerty made it 5-0 in the fifth inning with a two-run double to center.

But the Mariners’ bullpen couldn’t hold the lead after Chris Flexen pitched three scoreless innings. Rafael Montero had his first hiccup of the spring as the Reds scored five runs in the fifth inning. Montero couldn’t finish the inning after getting two outs from the first three batters he faced. He gave up a run-scoring single, a walk, another run-scoring single and walked one more before being pulled. His replacement, Taylor Guerrieri, allowed a run on a wild pitch and then Haggerty dropped a ball in center field, which would have been the third out. Instead, two runs scored.

Neither team scored in the next four innings with mostly backups and minor-league players in the game.

Flexen looked solid in his three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits with no walks and three strikeouts. His fastball sat around 92-93 mph, but his changeup was solid and kept hitters off balance. He looked nothing like the pitcher who got roughed up for six runs on nine hits against the Angels on March 17.

The Mariners headed to Seattle after the game. They had Tuesday off to get their housing situations in order. They will have a workout this afternoon at T-Mobile Park in preparation for opening the 2021 season Thursday night against the Giants. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m.

Seattle opens its season with three games against San Francisco, with ace Marco Gonzales, James Paxton and Flexen scheduled to make their first starts.

Gonzales will be making his third consecutive Opening Day start for the club after leading the Mariners in starts (11) and innings (69-2/3) during the shortened 2020 season, when he posted a 7-2 record and career-best 3.10 ERA.

The 29-year-old veteran left-hander made four Cactus League starts, allowing 12 runs (11 earned) with 10 strikeouts and four walks across 15 2/3 innings, but there is no concern he will be ready Thursday.

“He’ll be ready to roll opening night,” Servais said.

Seattle’s season-opener, which will allow 9,000 fans inside T-Mobile Park due to COVID-19 restrictions, is already sold out, as are the other two games against the Giants.

James Paxton, who returned to the Mariners on a one-year deal in February, is expected to follow Gonzales in the rotation, and make his first start Friday.

Paxton posted a 1.08 ERA in two Cactus League games this spring, allowing one run across 8 1/3 innings while striking out 17 and walking four.

The 32-year-old left-hander spent the past two seasons with the Yankees, posting career highs in starts (29) and wins (15) in 2019 before back surgery last February and a flexor strain in August limited him to five starts in 2020.

Right-hander Flexen, who joined the Mariners in December after spending a season pitching for the Doosan Bears of the Korean Baseball Organization, is scheduled to pitch Saturday.

The 26-year-old posted a 5.79 ERA in five spring training starts, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) across 14 innings while striking out 15 and walking five.

Slotting him in the third starting spot also breaks up a rotation crowded with left-handers.

“We are going to have a lot of left-handed pitching in our rotation, so we want to split that up and mix it up the best we can,” Servais said. “That’s where we’ll go the first three days out.”

After that? The Mariners haven’t announced how the rest of their rotation will map out for the remainder of the homestand. They host the White Sox in a three-game series beginning Monday.