Shoddy defense dooms Cardinals in 9-3 loss to Padres
SAN DIEGO -- It started with an attempt to turn a double play and ended up an ugly five-run inning.
The St. Louis Cardinals committed three errors behind John Lackey in the fifth inning Friday night en route to a 9-3 loss.
Yangervis Solarte hit a two-run homer in the fifth and Travis Jankowski had two hits, an RBI and scored a run in his big-league debut.
The Cardinals still have the best record in the majors at 77-44.
Lackey wasn't happy.
"There's a lot of things I want to say," he said.
Asked to describe the fifth, he said: "Nope, you watched it. First couple of innings I felt as good as I have felt all year. It came down to that fifth inning. I struck out the side that inning. I felt pretty good."
Lackey (10-8) allowed four hits, a walk and a wild pitch in that frame.
The carnage for the Cardinals in the fifth started when Andrew Cashner (5-12) bunted to advance Alexi Amarista, who opened with a single.
First baseman Mark Reynolds fielded the ball near the bag and tried for a double play, but his throw sailed into left field.
Stephen Piscotty's throw to third base sailed into the Cardinals' dugout, allowing Amarista to score and Cashner to take third. Jankowski, batting ninth behind Cashner, singled to left to bring in the pitcher for his first career RBI.
Solarte then homered to right to bring in Jankowski for his first MLB run. It was Solarte's third homer in as many games and 10th overall.
Yonder Alonso walked and advanced on a wild pitch before Kemp struck out for the first out. Justin Upton singled for his 600th career RBI.
"We had a potential for a double play that gives us two outs and nobody on and it looks like a completely different inning," manager Mike Matheny said.
"Absolutely every time that happens, it is going to cost you in the long run."
Matt Kemp and pinch hitter Brett Wallace each had a two-run homer in the eighth for San Diego, which won its fourth straight game and sixth in seven. Kemp also had a single and extended his hitting streak to 13 games. It was his 15th homer and Wallace's third.
Cashner held St. Louis to one run (unearned) and four hits in six innings while striking out eight and walking two.
Lackey allowed five runs (four earned) and nine hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
Yadier Molina hit an RBI single in the first and St. Louis pulled to 5-3 in the seventh after Piscotty hit a sacrifice fly and Tommy Pham an RBI triple.
Johnny Peralta had three hits for St. Louis.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cardinals: RF Jason Heyward was a late addition to the lineup, after proving his hamstring was fine.
Watch the Cardinals Live pregame and postgame shows before and after every St. Louis Cardinals game on FOX Sports Midwest.
Padres: RHP Brandon Morrow had season-ending shoulder surgery on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Cardinals: RHP Carlos Martinez (12-5, 2.78) is scheduled to start Saturday night. He got a no-decision in St. Louis' 2-1 victory against the Padres on July 4. The Cardinals are 18-4 in his 22 starts this season.
Padres: RHP Ian Kennedy (7-11, 4.20) lost 3-1 to the Cardinals on July 5.
