Mariners Surge! Naylor's Clutch Hit Powers Seattle Past Cardinals!

Mariners Rally Late to Defeat Cardinals 4-2

SEATTLE – Josh Naylor delivered a clutch, two-run double in the sixth inning, propelling the Seattle Mariners to a 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night. The Mariners' offense came alive in the sixth, erasing an early Cardinals lead and securing the win.

Naylor, hot off two consecutive games with home runs, capitalized on a hanging curveball from Cardinals reliever Gordon Graceffo (3-1). His timely hit followed an RBI single by Julio Rodríguez, who ignited the Mariners' scoring surge. After his double, Naylor showcased his savvy baserunning skills, stealing third and easily scoring on a sacrifice fly from Jorge Polanco.

The Cardinals initially took a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning courtesy of a two-run home run by Alec Burleson, his 17th of the season. However, that proved to be the extent of their offensive output against Mariners starter Bryan Woo (13-7). Woo, along with three relievers, effectively shut down the Cardinals for the remainder of the game. Andrés Muñoz closed the door, earning his 33rd save of the season.

The Mariners' game-changing sixth inning began with Leo Rivas battling through a nine-pitch walk against Mikolas, fouling off four pitches in the process. Randy Arozarena followed with a single, and Cal Raleigh walked on four pitches, setting the stage for Rodríguez and Naylor's crucial run-scoring hits.

With this victory, the Mariners have improved their record to an impressive 17-6 since the All-Star break, boasting the best record in Major League Baseball during the second half of the season.

Looking ahead, Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore (7-11, 4.15 ERA) is scheduled to face Mariners right-hander George Kirby (8-7, 4.47 ERA) on Tuesday night in the second game of the three-game series.

The game was played in Seattle, Washington, with an attendance of 22,899.