Full Breakdown
Mariners Edge Cardinals with Refsnyder’s Challenge and Ninth-Inning Home Run
4/27/2026, 8:16:10 AM
Mariners Edge Cardinals with Refsnyder’s Challenge and Ninth-Inning Home Run
Rob Refsnyder’s successful challenge of a third-strike call set up his 412-foot solo home run in the ninth inning, giving the Seattle Mariners a 3-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. The decisive blast came off Cardinals reliever JoJo Romero (0-1) after two additional balls. Jose Ferrer recorded the final three outs for his first save of the season.
Replay Challenges Shape the Contest
Both clubs exercised the league’s replay system four times each. All eight challenges were reviewed by plate umpire John Bacon. Every challenge involving a Mariners plate appearance was upheld, overturning calls that favored Seattle. The Cardinals’ fourth challenge, a ninth-inning review by rookie JJ Wetherholt, was denied, ending the sequence of successful reviews. Catcher Iván Herrera contributed two successful challenges: one converting a ball-four into a third strike on J.P. Crawford and another securing a strikeout of Randy Arozarena in the second inning. The overturns directly contributed to Seattle’s ability to sustain offensive pressure throughout the game.
Decisive Plays and Player Contributions
The game featured four home runs. JJ Wetherholt opened the scoring with a 375-foot line-drive in the third inning. Seattle answered in the fourth when Cal Raleigh launched a 401-foot shot, tying the score. St. Louis reclaimed the lead in the sixth via Nathan Church’s 407-foot solo homer. Refsnyder’s ninth-inning blast, following his overturned strike call, provided the winning margin. J.P. Crawford’s at-bat included an early strike reversal, and Ferrer’s ninth-inning work secured the save. All four home runs occurred in separate innings, creating a back-and-forth lead change.
Game Statistics
- Total challenges: 8 (four per team).
- Successful challenges: 7, all on Mariners plate appearances.
- Home-run distances: Refsnyder 412 ft, Raleigh 401 ft, Church 407 ft, Wetherholt 375 ft.
- Pitching lines: Seattle’s Emerson Hancock allowed seven hits, two walks and four strikeouts over six innings; St. Louis’s Michael McGreevy yielded five hits, no walks and six strikeouts in six innings. Ferrer finished with a 1-0 save. Seattle recorded eight hits; St. Louis tallied six. Seattle’s staff struck out four, while St. Louis recorded six. Seattle issued two walks; St. Louis walked none.
Impact and Upcoming Series
Seattle heads to a three-game set against the Minnesota Twins, with Luis Castillo slated to start the opener on Monday against LHP Connor Prielipp. St. Louis will open a four-game road stretch at Pittsburgh, where Dustin May is scheduled to pitch. The contest highlighted the strategic impact of replay challenges in close games and adds a win to Seattle’s record. The Cardinals aim to rebound as they begin their Pittsburgh series.
