Beckham's blast helps Mariners defeat Cardinals

[July 03, 2019]  Tim Beckham led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a pinch-hit home run, giving the Seattle Mariners a 5-4 victory against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night.

Omar Narvaez added a two-run shot as the Mariners snapped a four-game losing streak.

Jose Martinez hit two solo home runs and Yairo Munoz added a two-run shot for the Cardinals, who dropped below .500 (41-42).

Beckham's homer came on a 1-2 count against right-hander Giovanny Gallegos (1-1).

Mariners right-hander Austin Adams (1-0) struck out all four batters he faced to earn his first major league victory. Lefty Roenis Elias pitched the ninth for his 11th save of the season.

The Cardinals scored in the first inning as Martinez, serving as the designated hitter in the interleague game in an American League ballpark, homered to left-center field with one out off right-hander Matt Carasiti, who was being used as the opener for the Mariners.

Seattle took the lead with two runs in the second. Austin Nola doubled with one out and scored on a two-out single to right field by Dee Gordon. Mallex Smith followed with an infield single, and J.P. Crawford walked to load the bases. Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty then walked Domingo Santana to bring home the go-ahead run.

The Mariners extended their lead to 4-1 in the fifth as Daniel Vogelbach, the team's All-Star Game representative, led off with a walk, and Narvaez hit a two-run shot to right-center field, his 12th home run of the season.

Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (22) throws against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

The Cardinals finally scored off Mariners left-hander Wade LeBlanc in the sixth on Martinez's second home run of the night and seventh of the season.

LeBlanc went 4 2/3 innings and allowed one run on four hits. He walked two and struck out one.

The Cardinals tied the score at 4-4 in the seventh as Kolten Wong doubled with two outs and Munoz followed with a homer to left-center, his first of the season.

Flaherty also pitched 4 2/3 innings, but he allowed four runs on seven hits. The right-hander walked four and struck out seven.

--Field Level Media

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