By MATT PIKE
Rob Refsnyder successfully challenged a third strike, then hit a go-ahead solo home run in the ninth inning to lift the Seattle Mariners to a 3-2 win and a series sweep against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
Refsnyder was initially called out by plate umpire John Bacon on an 0-2 pitch that the replay showed was outside. After two more balls, he hit a 412-foot blast into the left-field bullpen off JoJo Romero to give the Mariners their first lead of the ball game. Jose Ferrer retired the Cardinals in order in the ninth for his first save of the season.
JJ Wetherholt led off the third inning opening the scoring with a line drive that traveled 375 feet into the right-field bullpen for the rookie's fifth home run of the season. But, last year's home run leader, Cal Raleigh answered in the fourth inning with a 401-footer that also landed in the Cardinals' bullpen to tie the game 1-1.
Following his two home run game on Saturday, Nathan Church added a 407-foot home run down the right-field line in the sixth to give St. Louis the lead back 2-1. But again the Mariners tied the game in the very next inning, with two outs Cole Young drove in Connor Joe with an RBI single, following Joe's two out double.
In the ninth, Seattle took the lead back on Refsnyder's home run following his succesful challenge. Each team successfully challenged four ball-strike calls by Bacon during the game, all during Mariners plate appearances, before JJ Wetherholt had an unsuccessful bid in the ninth.
During J.P Crawford’s eighth-inning plate appearance, each team had a successful challenge. Crawford had a strike overturned early in the at-bat, and then had ball four changed to the third strike on a challenge by catcher Iván Herrera. Herrera also secured a strikeout against Randy Arozarena in the second inning with a challenge.
It was a good start for Cardinals starting pitcher Michael McGreevy in a no decision allowing one run and five hits in six innings while striking out six and walking none. Romero fell to 0-1 in relief pitching one inning and giving up one run on one hit while striking out two. At the plate, Church was 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Wetherholt was 1-for-5 with the home run and an RBI while JOrdan Walker was 1-for-2 with two walks.
Next, St. Louis opens a four game series on the road with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dustin May (3-2, 5.84 ERA, 20K's) takes the mound for the Cardinals against Mason Montgomery (1-0, 3.97 ERA, 21K's for the Pirates. First pitch is at 5:40pm, pregame will begin near the start at 5:30 on KY 102 (102.5FM).