Padres 5, Cardinals 3
Visiting San Diego took advantage of St. Louis' sloppy fielding and spoiled opening day at Busch Stadium, beating the Cardinals 5-3 in 11 innings.
Chase Headley scored the go-ahead run when shortstop Ryan Theriot mishandled a relay, then threw high to the plate. The Padres forced extra innings on Cameron Maybin's deep solo homer to dead center with two outs in the ninth.
St. Louis superstar Albert Pujols struggled mightily, going 0 for 5 and hitting into three double plays for the first time in his career.
The Cardinals grabbed a 3-2 lead on Matt Holliday's eighth-inning solo homer, which just cleared the fence in right-center. But Maybin tied it with his drive off closer Ryan Franklin.
St. Louis ace Chris Carpenter allowed two runs on two hits over seven sharp innings. His defense let him down in the fifth, when Skip Schumaker dropped the ball on a tag at second. Ryan Ludwick was safe and promptly scored the tying run on Nick Hundley's double.
San Diego's Tim Stauffer gave up nine hits over six innings but induced three double plays to keep the game tied 2-2 heading into the late innings. In the sixth, after the Cardinals led off with back-to-back singles, Stauffer whirled to pick off Holliday at second, killing another rally.