Padres hand Cardinals season-high fourth straight home loss
ST. LOUIS -- Jedd Gyorko homered in the seventh inning to tie the game and then had a run-scoring single in the ninth to lead the San Diego Padres to a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night.
San Diego won the first two games of the four-game series after losing three straight.
St. Louis lost a season-high fourth straight home game but the Cardinals are still a major league-best 29-11 at home.
Gyorko hit a 3-2 pitch from closer Trevor Rosenthal (1-1) to bring in Yangervis Solarte, who hit a one-out triple.
Joaquin Benoit (5-3) picked up the win in relief.
Craig Kimbrel recorded his 21st save in 22 opportunities. He got Jason Heyward to ground into a game-ending double play.
St. Louis starter Michael Wacha, in his first career appearance against the Padres, gave up one run and five hits in seven innings. He struck out six and walked one.
San Diego starter Andrew Cashner allowed one run and three hits in six innings.
The Cardinals scored in the fifth inning on a double-play groundout by Xavier Scruggs. Heyward and Yadier Molina singled to start the rally. Randal Grichuk coaxed a nine-pitch walk after falling behind 0-2 to load the bases.
Justin Upton of the Padres broke an 0-for-17 skid with a single in the sixth.
TRAINER'S ROOM:
Cardinals: OF Jon Jay was placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 1 with a stress reaction in his left wrist. Jay was hitting .223 with one homer and 10 RBIS. He is on the DL for the second time this season with an earlier stint from May 14-28 with left wrist tendinitis.
Padres: INF Will Middlebrooks did not start for the fourth straight game after rolling his ankle Sunday against Arizona. Middlebrooks pinch hit on Tuesday and Thursday.
UP NEXT:
St. Louis RHP Carlos Martinez (9-3, 2.80) will face RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (3-6, 4.94) in the third game of the four-game set on Saturday. Martinez leads the Cardinals with 100 strikeouts. Despaigne has allowed eight earned runs over his last two starts covering 11 innings.
