Josh Naylor’s two-run double highlighted a sixth-inning rally as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 Monday night in the opener of a three-game interleague series.
The Mariners (76-68) won their third in a row to pull within two games of idle Houston in the American League West race and remain 1 1/2 games ahead of Texas for the AL’s third and final wild-card berth.
Alec Burleson, activated from the injured list (right wrist inflammation) earlier in the day, hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals (72-73), who lost for just the second time in their past six games.
Mariners starter Bryan Woo (13-7) pitched six quality innings. The right-hander allowed two runs on three hits with no walks and nine strikeouts.
The Mariners’ Matt Brash and Eduard Bazardo each pitched a perfect inning of relief before closer Andres Munoz worked the ninth for his 33rd save of the season.
Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas outdueled Woo through the first five innings, taking a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth.
But Mikolas didn’t make it through the inning. He issued a leadoff walk on a 3-2 pitch to Leo Rivas, Seattle’s No. 9 hitter, and Randy Arozarena grounded a single up the middle, sending Rivas to third.
Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol went to his bullpen, bringing in right-hander Gordon Graceffo (3-1) to face Cal Raleigh, who has a major league-leading 53 homers. Graceffo walked Raleigh on four pitches to load the bases.
Julio Rodriguez lined a single off the glove of diving shortstop Masyn Winn to plate Seattle’s first run and leave the bases loaded. Naylor lined a two-run double to right-center field to put the Mariners ahead, with Rodriguez running through third-base coach Kristopher Negron’s stop sign to be easily thrown out at the plate. Naylor stole third and scored on Jorge Polanco’s sacrifice fly to deep right to make it 4-2.
Woo and Mikolas both retired the side in order in the opening three innings.
The Cardinals’ Ivan Herrera lined a one-out single to center in the fourth for the game’s first hit and Burleson followed with a 416-foot blast off the base of the batter’s eye in center field on an 0-1 fastball.
