ST. LOUIS (AP) — George Kirby won his third consecutive start, Josh Naylor hit a solo home run and the Seattle Mariners beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 on Friday night.
Kirby (4-2) allowed five hits and two runs in six innings. He was lifted after giving up leadoff single in the seventh.
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St. Louis Cardinals' Masyn Winn watches his two-run RBI single against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Andre Pallante delivers against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)
Seattle Mariners' Josh Naylor, right, is congratulated by third base coach Carlos Cardoza after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)
Seattle Mariners' Josh Naylor reacts after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)
Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby delivers against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)
Andrés Muñoz, an All Star in 2025, worked the ninth for his fourth save.
The Mariners have played 10 one-run games this season, going 4-6. St. Louis fell to 11-3 in games decided by two runs or fewer in 2026.
Seattle has won five consecutive games and six of its seven games against the Cardinals.
Naylor broke a 2-2 tie when he led off the sixth by slamming a fastball 418 feet off Andre Pallante (2-2). Naylor had a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth of Seattle’s 5-4 win over the Athletics on Wednesday.
Pallante struck out eight and walked three while giving up four hits in 5 1/3 innings.
The Cardinals rallied from a 2-0 deficit when Masyn Winn hit a two-out bloop single to short right, scoring Jordan Walker and Nolan Gorman.
Seattle went up 1-0 in the second. Former Cardinal Randy Arozarena led off with a double and scored on a two-out single to center by Cole Young.
The Mariners extended their lead to 2-0 on a two-out single by Dominic Canzone to drive in Naylor in the fourth inning.
RHP Bryan Woo (1-2, 2.25) was set to start for Seattle on Saturday against LHP Matthew Liberatore (0-1, 3.67).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
St. Louis Cardinals' Masyn Winn watches his two-run RBI single against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)
St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Andre Pallante delivers against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)
Seattle Mariners' Josh Naylor, right, is congratulated by third base coach Carlos Cardoza after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)
Seattle Mariners' Josh Naylor reacts after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)
Seattle Mariners pitcher George Kirby delivers against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, April 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Le)
Once considered a potential top pick, Carson Beck ended up becoming the first player selected in the third round of the NFL draft.
The Arizona Cardinals took the polarizing Miami quarterback with the 65th overall pick on Friday night. He’ll join a quarterback room that includes veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew and play for rookie coach Mike LaFleur.
“I’m super excited, super grateful, super blessed,” said Beck, who spent five seasons at Georgia before transferring to Miami. “I took a visit out there and loved the staff, loved Coach LaFleur.”
Beck was only the third QB selected in a draft that’s considered thin at the sport’s most important position. Fernando Mendoza went No. 1 to Las Vegas and Ty Simpson was selected 13th by the Los Angeles Rams.
No quarterbacks were picked in a second round that saw 22 defensive players taken.
Drew Allar became the fourth quarterback selected when the Pittsburgh Steelers took him at No. 76. He doesn’t have to leave the state after an injury-riddled college career at Penn State.
Pittsburgh set an NFL record with 320,000 fans in attendance on the first day Thursday night, breaking the mark set by Detroit in 2024 when a crowd of 275,000 came out.
The selection of Allar drew a mixed reaction from Steelers fans watching the draft at Acrisure Stadium. Allar is returning from a broken ankle that ended his college career last October.
The hometown faithful waving yellow Terrible Towels in the draft theater roared in approval when Pittsburgh chose Iowa guard Gennings Dunker later in the third round. Dunker, who sports a red mullet and a mustache, became a fan favorite at the combine where he displayed his athleticism.
Defense was the priority in the second round. Twenty-two of the 32 picks were defensive players and the Philadelphia Eagles acquired 2024 Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard from Minnesota.
Eight teams made their first selections of the draft on Friday night after sitting out Round 1, with the 49ers kicking off the second day by taking Mississippi wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling. San Francisco traded down twice to end up with the 33rd pick.
The eight teams that didn’t pick Thursday was the second-most teams sitting out Round 1 since 1970. Ten teams didn’t pick in the first round in 2022.
The Bills, who traded back three times, ended up with an edge rusher, choosing Clemson's T.J. Parker at No. 35.
Two players who came to Pittsburgh but didn’t hear their names called Thursday went back-to-back at 36 and 37 on Friday. Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald was selected by Houston and Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood went next to the New York Giants.
“Of course it was disappointing,” said Hood, who was back home in Atlanta for Round 2. “I know God does everything for a reason. He was probably preventing me from something or he had something better in store for me, and that being the Giants. I’m super excited to go into this next chapter of my life and will just go in there and give my best and give my all and be the best version of myself.”
The Bengals strengthened their defense with their first pick of the draft, taking Texas A&M edge Cashius Howell at No. 41. Atlanta’s first pick was Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell with the 48th pick. Green Bay also chose a cornerback with its first pick, taking South Carolina’s Brandon Cisse 52nd.
The Colts got Georgia linebacker CJ Allen at No. 53 after trading their first-rounder in a deal for Sauce Gardner last season.
Jacksonville’s first pick was Texas A&M tight end Nate Boerkircher.
The Broncos had to wait until the third round to make their first pick after trading No. 62 to Buffalo. Denver, which previously sent Miami its first-rounder in a trade for wideout Jaylen Waddle, took Texas A&M defensive tackle Tyler Onyedim at No. 66.
After losing Makai Lemon to the Eagles on Thursday night, the Steelers got their wide receiver, taking Alabama’s Germie Bernard 47th.
The Super Bowl champion Seahawks closed out the second round by adding Texas Christian safety Bud Clark at No. 64.
Just 16 of the 32 first-round picks were made by the original teams that owned them.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
FILE - Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (15) throws during the school's NFL football pro day, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
FILE - Miami quarterback Carson Beck (04) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
Minnesota Vikings' Brian O'Neill motions to the crowd before announcing a pick during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Atlanta Falcons fans cheer during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Fans watch during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Tennessee Titans fans cheer during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Tennessee Titans' Jeffery Simmons walks across the stage before announcing a pick by the Tennessee Titans during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
LSU defensive back Mansoor Delane puts on a hat after being chosen by the Kansas City Chiefs with the sixth overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Southern California wide receiver Makai Lemon poses for a photo after being chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 20th overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the first overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is shown on a screen after being chosen by the Las Vegas Raiders with the first overall pick during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
