Cardinals at Mariners
The Seattle Mariners hope to ride the momentum of a series-opening victory when they host the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday for the middle contest of their three-game interleague set. Tim Beckham belted a pinch-hit, tie-breaking homer in the eighth inning on Tuesday to help Seattle halt a four-game slide with a 5-4 victory.
Beckham enjoyed a fast start to the season before slowing down and eventually lost his starting shortstop job to J.P. Crawford. "Roles do change over the course of the season," Mariners manager Scott Servais said in his postgame press conference. "I tried to be pretty transparent with Tim and let him know what the expectations are and how his role was going to evolve. He's handled it pretty well, knowing he's going to get an opportunity to play, it's just going to be sporadic and it won't be the same spot every day." St. Louis, which has dropped six of its last seven games, scored its runs in the opener on two solo homers by Jose Martinez and a two-run blast by Yairo Munoz. Veteran Yadier Molina was hitless in four at-bats on Tuesday and is mired in a 29-game home-run drought.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Midwest (St. Louis), ROOT Northwest (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (5-7, 4.35 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Mike Leake (7-7, 4.63)
Wainwright registered nine strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings while losing to Oakland in his last turn as he gave up two runs - both on solo homers - and seven hits. The 37-year-old is 0-2 over his last three turns despite recording 17 strikeouts against just three walks over 16 1/3 frames. Wainwright is 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA in two career starts against Mariners, but this outing will mark his first in Seattle.
Leake won four straight decisions before falling to Milwaukee in his last turn. The 31-year-old gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings and has allowed 12 (11 earned) and 19 over his last two outings. Leake, who was acquired from the Cardinals in August 2017, is 5-7 with a 4.42 ERA in 17 career appearances (16 starts) against his former team.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cardinals 1B Matt Carpenter (back) was placed on the 10-day injured list while RHP John Brebbia was activated from the paternity list.
2. Mariners RF Mitch Haniger (testicle) saw a doctor on Tuesday after experiencing some issues and may miss most of July.
3. St. Louis LF Marcell Ozuna (finger) was examined by a hand specialist, but there remains no timetable for his return.