The Padres slugged three, two-run homers and some erratic Cardinals defense helped San Diego past St. Louis, 9-3, on Friday night. The Padres have won four straight and six of seven.
Andrew Cashner (5-12) worked six innings and allowed an unearned run on four hits with two walks. He struck out eight in winning for the first time in five starts.
John Lackey (10-8) pitched six innings and gave up five runs (four earned) on nine hits, with a walk and seven strike outs.
The Padres sent nine batters to the plate in their five-run fifth as the Cardinals committed three errors and a wild pitch. Third baseman Yangervis
Solarte also contributed a two-run homer, his third in three games.
St. Louis scored twice in the seventh to pull within 5-3. Center fielder Tommy Pham had an RBI triple and left fielder Stephen Piscotty added a sacrifice fly.
The Cardinals had the tying runs aboard in the eighth but Joaquin Benoit struck out pinch-hitter Peter Bourjos to end the threat.
Pinch-hitter Brett Wallace had a 431-foot, two-run homer in the eighth. Matt Kemp, who has a season-best 13-game hitting streak, added another two-run homer for the final margin.
The Padres scored five times in the fifth as the Cardinals got sloppy.
St. Louis gift-wrapped the Padres’ first two runs. Shortstop Alexi Amarista singled, and Cashner bunted to first base. Mark Reynolds fielded the ball and threw wildly to second base. It was retrieved by Piscotty, and his throw landed in the St. Louis dugout. That allowed Amarista to score and sent Cashner to third.
Center field Travis Jankowski then singled for his first major league RBI, giving him two hits in his first two major league plate appearances. Solarte followed with a two-run homer.
First baseman Yonder Alonso singled, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on left fielder Justin Upton’s single to make it 5-1.
The Cardinals took a 1-0 lead in the first inning with some help.
Piscotty reached on a one-out error by Amarista, then went to second on shortstop Jhonny Peralta’s infield hit. Piscotty scored on catcher Yadier Molina’s single to right field.
