Leo Rivas: Mariners vs Cardinals 2025| 13th Inning Homer| Highlights

Introduction

On September 11, 2025, the Seattle Mariners and the St. Louis Cardinals locked in a marathon game that kept fans on the edge of their seats well into extra innings. What stood out most: Leo Rivas’ dramatic 13th-inning walk-off home run that sealed a 4-2 Mariners victory. This moment not only completed a three-game sweep of the Cardinals but also reinforced Seattle’s postseason hopes. In this article, we dive deep into the highlights, the turning points, the players, and why this victory matters for both teams and for Leo Rivas personally.

The Set-Up: Stakes, Tension, and Preliminaries

Playoff Stakes for Seattle

Seattle came into this game under pressure. With the postseason in view, every win counts. Before this matchup, the Mariners were one game behind the Houston Astros in the American League West and held a 1.5-game lead over the Texas Rangers for the final AL Wild Card spot. A loss could mean slipping in the standings; a win was essential to keep momentum.

Cardinals’ Position

For the Cardinals, this was less about playoff pressure—MLB’s structure means a National League team in the September stretch is primarily battling to stay relevant, build momentum for next season, or just play spoiler. But they weren’t without fight. Coming into the game, they were shorthanded in wins, looking to break Seattle’s stride.

Leo Rivas: From Role Player to Hero

Leo Rivas, often more of a bench role or depth bat, entered this game with limited Major League exposure. He’d been recalled to the Mariners’ roster on September 1 after time in Triple-A. He had just a small number of MLB plate appearances, but had shown flashes of patience and resilience.

Game Highlights

Here are the key moments in the match, inning by inning, especially focusing on what led up to Rivas’ walk-off.

Early Game

• First Inning: Cardinals’ Ivan Herrera homered off Mariners’ starter Logan Gilbert. It was a solo blast that bypassed Seattle’s bullpen beyond left-center field, tying the game early in favor of St. Louis. Reuters+1

• Second Inning: Seattle answered. Josh Naylor and Jorge Polanco got things started with singles. After some situational hitting, Dominic Canzone hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Naylor, knotting the game 1-1.

Gilbert’s outing: although he had eight strikeouts, he lasted only 4⅔ innings, giving up five hits and one run. His pitch count and perhaps lack of command forced an early exit. Meanwhile, Cardinals starter Michael McGreevy held the Mariners in check over his six innings, giving up just one run on five hits, walking nobody, and striking out four.

Middle and Late Regulation

From innings 3 through 9, scoring was sparse:

• Both teams stalled offensively.

• Seattle’s bullpen had to hold the line; the Cardinals threatened but couldn’t break through.

• Key defensive plays and situational pitching made the difference in keeping it locked.

Regulation ended without much fanfare, sending the game into extras tied 1-1.

Extra Innings & Build-Up to the 11th

• In the 11th inning, the Cardinals struck first when Thomas Saggese, who went 4-for-5 in the game, grounded a single up the middle against a drawn-in infield for an RBI. That made it 2-1 in favor of St. Louis.

• Seattle answered immediately. Jorge Polanco led off the bottom of the 11th with a run-scoring double, evening the score at 2-2.

• The tension rose: both teams had baserunners, opportunities, and close plays. The Cardinals had a chance, but Seattle’s bullpen—especially reliever Riley O’Brien—escaped trouble, including bases-loaded jams.

The Climax: 13th Inning Walk-Off

Rivas had entered the game earlier as a pinch runner in the 11th. However, he would become the central figure in the 13th.

• Pitcher: Ryan Fernandez of the Cardinals, who entered with a poor record. This likely put him under pressure.

• First pitch of the 13th: Fernandez grooved a slider (or some hanging breaking pitch) over the middle of the plate. Leo Rivas didn’t wait—he turned on it and sent it over the right field fence for a two-run walk-off homer. That also scored Josh Naylor, who had been the automatic runner for that at-bat. Final score: Mariners 4, Cardinals 2.

The crowd erupted; the Mariners dugout cleared. It was dramatic, unexpected from someone who has not been a regular power hitter in MLB.

Player Performances & Stats

Leo Rivas

• This homer was only the second career home run for Rivas, and importantly, a walk-off.

• Since being recalled on September 1, Rivas had few plate appearances but was showing signs of patience and solid hitting discipline.

• In this game, his heroics overshadowed quieter parts of his performance but cemented his role in this critical stretch for Seattle.

Josh Naylor

• Scored the tying run in the 2nd via the sacrifice fly.

• Was the automatic runner in the 13th who scored when Rivas hit the walk-off shot. His presence on base was crucial.

Other Notables

• Thomas Saggese: 4 hits in total, had the RBI in the 11th to put St. Louis ahead, showed consistency and threat.

• Michael McGreevy (Cardinals starter): Impressive 6 innings, just one run allowed, no walks, striking out four. Did nearly enough to give his team a chance.

• Logan Gilbert (Mariners): Solid strikeouts (eight) but couldn’t go deep enough. His early exit meant the bullpen had to cover more innings.

• Emerson Hancock (Relief for Mariners): Earned the win by tossing two perfect relief innings in the extra frames. Big credit for closing out the game.

Game Implications & Momentum

This game was more than just one win. It carried broader implications for the Mariners’ playoff push and team morale, and possibly rattled the Cardinals’ confidence.

For Seattle Mariners

1. Standings: The win completed a sweep and allowed Seattle to stay powerful in Wild Card contention. They remained one game behind the Astros in the AL West but kept hold of their Wild Card buffer.

2. Momentum: That was the fifth straight win for the Mariners at that point. Playing well during September is often what separates teams getting into the postseason. Confidence grows with each close win.

3. Depth showing: Rivas’ heroics, contributions from bullpen arms, and ability to win tight, low-scoring affairs show that Seattle has the depth and resolve to compete under pressure.

For St. Louis Cardinals

1. Tough loss: They played hard, had leads in extra innings, but couldn’t close. These kinds of losses sting, especially in interleague play without playoff implications, but morale and evaluation matter.

2. Bright spots: Players like Saggese, McGreevy, Herrera had solid moments; but unanswered questions remain about closing out games.

Breakdown of Key Moments & Turning Points

Leo Rivas in Context: Player Profile & Journey

To fully appreciate this moment, you have to understand where Rivas is coming from.

• Rivas has had a relatively modest MLB presence in terms of plate appearances, power numbers, and consistent playing time. He has spent significant time in the minors and has been called up, sent down, recalled, etc.

• Yet, what defines Rivas is perseverance. When opportunities arise—bench roles, pinch running, spot hits—he’s shown readiness. Moments like this 13th-inning homer amplify belief in the team and his own self.

• For a young or less-established player, hitting a walk-off homer in extra innings in a high-leverage situation can change perceptions—of coaches, teammates, fans. It might lead to more trust, more playing time, and more big-moment at bats.

The Pitch & Swing: Technical Notes

• The pitch from Fernandez was described as a hanging slider (or perhaps breaking-pitch that didn’t break enough) over the middle of the plate. It was a mistake that Rivas immediately punished.

• Rivas acted quickly: first pitch timing, decisive swing. Sometimes hitters wait for a “better pitch,” but in extra innings the margin for error shrinks.

• Placement: The homer went to right field, just fair of the foul pole. It cleared the fence in dramatic fashion, making sure there was no replay challenge or uncertainty.

Fan & Media Reaction

• Media outlets described the moment as “dramatic,” “unexpected,” and a key turning point in Seattle’s playoff push.

• Fans, especially at T-Mobile Park, had a long night but were rewarded. The walk-off homers are always a crowd favorite, and particularly so from someone not known for that power.

• Commentary has begun to note that Rivas might be coming into his own late in the season, possibly shifting from a fringe player to someone who can be counted on in pressure spots.

What This Means for the Rest of the Season

With only a few weeks left in the regular season, this win serves multiple roles:

• Boosting team confidence: Wrestling wins like this builds character, especially for the postseason. Close games, extra-innings, rosters stretched—learning how to win in such contexts is critical.

• Wild Card implications: Staying ahead in the Wild Card race is essential. Losing any of these tight games could mean missing out, so one swing in the 13th makes a difference not just today but potentially weeks down the line.

• Roster moves & roles: Performances like Rivas’ could affect who gets the playing time, who gets to carry momentum into October. Pitching depth, bench strength, clutch hitting will all come under the microscope.

Comparisons & Historical Notes

• Walk-off homers in extra innings, especially starting the inning, don’t happen often. For a player like Rivas with limited home run history, this adds a remarkable chapter to his career.

• Comparisons are bound to be drawn with other journeyman players who had breakout moments down the stretch. Baseball history is full of such late-season epics.

Conclusion

Leo Rivas’ two-run, 13th-inning homer over the Cardinals isn’t just another win in the W column. It’s a defining moment. It captures the tension, the high stakes, the resilience of not just a team vying for a postseason spot, but of a player battling for recognition and opportunity. As the Mariners look ahead, this victory will be remembered for its drama, timing, and impact.