Mariners 4-2 Cardinals: Seattle wins tight game Sept. 8

The Seattle Mariners showed real grit Monday night. They stormed back in the sixth inning and topped the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2, a game full of clutch hitting and sharp decision-making.

Josh Naylor and Julio Rodríguez both stepped up. Seattle’s bullpen locked things down, and the team kept rolling after the All-Star break. Honestly, they look like the hottest team in baseball right now.

Mariners Overcome Early Deficit

The Cardinals jumped ahead first. Alec Burleson launched his 17th homer of the year in the fourth inning, putting St. Louis up 2-0.

The Mariners didn’t let that rattle them. They waited for their chance and struck back hard in the sixth.

Seattle’s starter, Bryan Woo, settled in after that rough patch. He gave up just those two runs over six innings and picked up his 13th win of the year.

His calm approach kept Seattle close enough to make a move.

The Turning Point in the Sixth

Leo Rivas kicked off the rally with a gritty nine-pitch walk. That at-bat really set the tone.

Julio Rodríguez followed up with an RBI single, finally putting Seattle on the board and cutting the Cardinals’ lead in half.

Then Josh Naylor took over. He ripped a two-run double off reliever Gordon Graceffo, flipping the score and putting Seattle up 3-2.

Naylor wasn’t satisfied with just the double. He stole third, then came home on a Jorge Polanco sacrifice fly. Suddenly, the Mariners had a four-run inning and all the momentum.

Shutdown Bullpen Seals the Victory

With the lead in hand, Seattle’s bullpen went to work. The setup crew and closer Andrés Muñoz kept St. Louis off the board for the last three innings.

Muñoz finished things off in the ninth, notching his 33rd save of the season. That bullpen has just been nails lately.

Post-All-Star Dominance

Monday’s win gave the Mariners 17 victories in their last 23 games since the All-Star break. That’s the best record in Major League Baseball over that stretch.

The combination of clutch offense, strong starting pitching, and a relentless bullpen has turned Seattle into a serious postseason threat.

Key Performances That Made the Difference

Several Mariners made their mark in this one:

• Josh Naylor: Two-run double, a stolen base, and a run scored on a sac fly. He was everywhere.
• Julio Rodríguez: RBI single to spark the comeback. The kid just keeps delivering.
• Leo Rivas: That nine-pitch walk to start the sixth? Huge.
• Bryan Woo: Stayed steady after the early homer and earned his 13th win.
• Andrés Muñoz: Shut the door for his 33rd save.

Looking Ahead

The series now shifts to Tuesday’s matchup. St. Louis will hand the ball to lefty Matthew Liberatore, hoping to even things up.

Seattle counters with ace George Kirby. The Mariners are riding a serious hot streak, but the Cardinals will try to avoid dropping two straight and keep their playoff hopes alive.

Final Thoughts

This game really showed why the Mariners have been climbing the MLB standings since the All-Star break. Patience at the plate, aggressive baserunning, and some clutch hitting all played a part.

The bullpen locked things down late. Seattle just kept finding ways to capitalize on every opportunity.

Game 2 should be a wild ride, honestly. Both teams are fighting for momentum, but the Mariners are on such a hot streak—can anyone slow them down right now?

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Here is the source article for this story: Mariners 4-2 Cardinals (Sep 8, 2025) Game Recap