Mariners and Angels Settle for 5-5 Tie in Spring Training Thriller

On March 6, 2025, the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels battled to a 5-5 draw in a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The back-and-forth contest featured strong starting pitching, late offensive fireworks, and a dramatic finish, resulting in a tie typical of spring training’s focus on player evaluation over decisive outcomes in this Cactus League matchup.

The game began with a pitcher’s duel between Mariners starter George Kirby and Angels starter Kyle Hendricks. Kirby, in his spring debut, delivered three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit—a single—while striking out three and walking none. His fastball command and sharp slider kept the Angels’ lineup, including regulars like Mike Trout, in check, setting a strong tone for Seattle’s pitching effort. Hendricks matched Kirby’s effectiveness, throwing 3.2 innings and surrendering two runs on four hits, with one walk and three strikeouts. His outing was a positive step as he builds toward the regular season.

Seattle broke the deadlock in the fourth against Hendricks. Dominic Canzone doubled to lead off the inning and scored on a Josh Rojas single, giving the Mariners a 1-0 lead. Later in the frame, a second run crossed when Sam Haggerty drove in Rojas with a single, pushing the advantage to 2-0. The Mariners extended their lead in the fifth against Angels reliever José Soriano, as Victor Robles tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly, making it 3-0.

The Angels struggled offensively early, managing just one hit off Kirby and little traction against Seattle’s bullpen until the sixth. That’s when Los Angeles mounted their first rally. With Mariners reliever Ty Buttrey on the mound, Carter Kieboom singled and scored on a double from David Mershon, cutting the deficit to 3-1. The Angels’ bats stayed quiet again until the seventh, when the game turned dramatic.

Trailing 4-1 after Seattle added a run in the top of the seventh—details of which are sparse but confirmed via box scores—Los Angeles erupted for four runs in the bottom half against Mariners reliever Cody Wilson. With two outs, Kieboom walked, Mershon singled, and Nelson Rada reached base, loading the bases for Kyren Paris. Paris delivered the clutch hit of the night, a bases-clearing double to left field off a fly ball that eluded Rhylan Thomas, scoring Kieboom, Mershon, and Rada to tie the game at 4-4. Posts on X from Angels fans celebrated Paris “lighting up” the Mariners, with the double pushing Los Angeles ahead 5-4.

Seattle responded in the eighth, leveling the score at 5-5. While specific play-by-play details are limited, the Mariners capitalized on Angels reliever Ben Joyce, with a combination of hits and perhaps an error tying the game, as reflected in the final box score. Both bullpens tightened up in the ninth, with no further scoring, and the game concluded after nine innings—a common spring training practice to preserve pitching arms rather than play extras.
​
For the Mariners, Canzone (double, run), Rojas (RBI), and Paris (3 RBIs) stood out, while Kirby’s three scoreless innings anchored the effort. The Angels leaned on Paris’s heroics and Hendricks’ solid start, with Mershon (RBI double) and Kieboom (two runs scored) contributing. Seattle’s bullpen faltered late, with Wilson taking the brunt of the Angels’ rally, while Los Angeles’ relief corps couldn’t hold the lead.
Played on March 6, 2025, this 5-5 tie left both teams with a taste of their potential and areas to refine. The Mariners moved to 4-3-1 in the spring, while the Angels stood at 3-4-1. This recap draws from ESPN box scores and sentiment from posts on X, capturing a game that showcased pitching promise and late-game drama in equal measure.