Cardinals 10, Padres 3
SAN DIEGO -- Stephen Piscotty drove in five runs with the first two-homer game of his major-league career and right-handed starter Michael Wacha held the San Diego Padres to one run over six innings to pick up his 15th win Sunday as the St. Louis Cardinals scored a 10-3 victory to avoid their first three-game sweep of the season.
Left fielder Piscotty, who stranded four teammates in scoring position with three inning-ending strikeouts Saturday night, hit a two-run triple in the Cardinals' four-run first, added a solo homer in the seventh and hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Padres closer Craig Kimbrel.
Wacha limited the Padres to five hits and two walks with three strikeouts to improve to 15-5. Padres right-handed starter Colin Rea (2-1) allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and two walks in four innings in his third major-league start.
Right fielder Jason Heyward was 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, an RBI and two runs scored. Heyward fouled out to third in the ninth when he needed a home run for the cycle.
Padres right fielder Matt Kemp hit a two-run single in the ninth to extend his hitting streak to 15 straight games. For the Padres, the loss snapped a five-game winning streak and was only their third defeat in the last 12 games.
After being guilty of some sloppy play in two losses to open the series, the Cardinals took advantage of several Padres miscues in the first inning Sunday to build a quick 4-0 lead.
Center fielder Tommy Pham, who is at his best against the Padres, drew a one-out walk and raced to third when Rea threw wildly on a pick-off attempt.
With Pham at third, Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta hit a soft liner over the bag that Padres third baseman Yangervis Solarte attempted to catch while getting to third for a possible inning-ending double play. But the ball skipped off the top of Solarte's glove for an error that allowed Pham to score and Peralta to reach base.
Heyward singled Peralta to third and stole second. Catcher Yadier Molina singled, scoring Peralta. And Piscotty followed with a two-run triple.
The Padres got on the board in the second on a single by first baseman Yonder Alonso, a walk to catcher Austin Hedges and a two-out RBI single by shortstop Clint Barmes.
St. Louis got their four-run lead back in the top of the fourth on a lead-off double by first baseman Mark Reynolds, a single by Wacha and a sacrifice fly by third baseman Matt Carpenter.
The Cardinals broke the game open with three runs in the seventh. Peralta was hit by a pitch from Odrisamer Despaigne and scored on a triple by Heyward. Molina plated Heyward with a sacrifice fly and Piscotty followed with his third homer.
NOTES: The Cardinals promoted INF Greg Garcia from Triple-A Memphis and started him at second base for the slumping Kolten Wong. Garcia, 26, is a native of San Diego County. His grandfather Dave Garcia is a former major league manager who began scouting in the San Diego area in the early 1960s. ... To make room for Garcia on the 25-man roster, the Cardinals optioned left-handed relief pitcher Tyler Lyons to Memphis. ... Padres C Derek Norris is day-to-day after being struck by a pitched ball just above his mitt Saturday night. Norris left the game but X-rays were negative. He was not scheduled to start Sunday. ... San Diego RHP Josh Johnson, who has been on the disabled list all season while rehabbing from 2014 Tommy John surgery, is scheduled to throw a simulated game on the Padres' trip next week to Washington and Philadelphia.