ST. LOUIS -- Josh Naylor didn’t need to watch it for long.
The crack of the bat said enough.
Naylor launched a go-ahead, Statcast-projected 418-foot homer to right-center field in the sixth inning, a no-doubt shot at 107.3 mph that lifted the Mariners to a 3-2 win over the Cardinals on Friday night at Busch Stadium.
The swing capped another impactful night for Naylor, who continues to stay hot after delivering a walk-off hit in Seattle’s previous game Wednesday. He finished 1-for-3 with a homer and a walk.
Earlier, he helped manufacture a run in the fourth inning. After fouling a pitch off his foot and visibly dealing with discomfort, Naylor drew a walk, stole second base and scored on Dominic Canzone’s opposite-field single with two outs.
The Mariners struck first in the second inning, sparked by Randy Arozarena’s aggressive baserunning. Arozarena hustled out a leadoff double and came around to score when Cole Young delivered a two-out single up the middle.
George Kirby delivered a steady outing, working into the seventh inning while continuing his efficient approach. The right-hander allowed two runs on five hits and one walk across six-plus innings, striking out two while keeping his pitch count in check.
Kirby exited after a leadoff single in the seventh, and the Mariners’ bullpen took it from there, preserving the one-run lead to secure the win.
The victory snapped Seattle’s eight-game road losing streak and marked just its second road win of the season, with timely hitting and clean pitching proving to be the difference.