The final out, a strikeout with a runner on third, typified the kind of night it was for the San Diego Padres as they fell 3-0 to the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night at Busch Stadium.
San Diego (55-49) outhit their opponent in a loss for the third straight game, but went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine. The Cardinals (54-51) converted on an error and a pair of walks to plate their runs.
“The at bats tonight were really good, couldn’t get the proverbial big hit or string anything together, but had great at bats all the way through the lineup,” said manager Mike Shildt. “But we beat ourselves (and) gave up too much free stuff, a hit by pitch, and we played defense other than one play.”
It made for the first loss of the season for Nick Pivetta when going more than six innings, as the San Diego starter largely stayed out of trouble. Yet the lack of offensive finish prevented him from being the ‘stopper’ he’s been all season, with the Padres having won the previous six starts by Pivetta after a loss and now eight of 11 overall.
San Diego dropped their fourth straight for the first time since mid-May.
The top of the order had another good night getting hits, as they had six hits on 16 at bats but couldn’t replicate the slugging performance of the previous night. Despite outhitting the hosts 11-5, the inability to bring home any of the seven stranded in scoring position loomed large.
“It’s a good illustration that I talk about (how) usually we’re on the other side, and we will be on the other side,” Shildt said. “We win a lot of close games when we don’t hit as much or we get outhit, and everyone’s like ‘what’s going on with the hitting?’”
“Well, we play clean, we don’t walk anybody, we don’t beat ourselves and it wasn’t the case tonight. For me the way I view the game, that is the game and some nights are different than others. But again, outhit ‘em (and) great approach, but we didn’t play as clean as they did.”
Meanwhile the Cardinals got the key hit in the fourth inning when Masyn Winn hit a two-run double with one out to push the lead out to 3-0.
In that inning Pivetta gave up the only two walks he issued all game, but both game home for the only two earned runs of three he allowed in the game. The double was one of three hits against four strikeouts in 6 ⅓ innings for Pivetta’s third loss and first since May 11.
St. Louis’ first run came in the second inning after a hit by pitch and then an error by Jake Cronenworth put Wilson Contreras on second and Nolan Arenado on first. Masyn Winn executed the sacrifice bunt and, with the infield in, Yohel Pozo hit a grounder that Xander Bogaerts fielded on his knees but couldn’t make a play anywhere other than first base.
There was a chance for San Diego to respond in the third as Elias Días singled then Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a ground rule double with one out. But Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas got Luis Arraez to fly out and Manny Machado to ground out to escape unscathed.
Then a promising fourth inning, beginning with back-to-back hits by Jackson Merrill and Bogaerts, came up empty. Bogaerts attempted to tag and advance with Merrill on a flyout to right field and was doubled off on a tag at second base, and a strikeout ended the threat.
“(Bogaerts) was looking to read the ball, he was looking to make a play and read it, and make and aggressive play and they made a play,” Shildt said.
Mikolas was lifted after five innings and just 73 pitches, having conceded seven hits but no walks while also notching a strikeout to earn his sixth win. The four Redbird relievers scattered four hits, with closer Ryan Helsley striking out a pair and giving up a hit to record his 21st save.
Earlier in the day MLB.com reported that the Padres made an offer to the Boston Red Sox for outfielder Jarren Duran, with pitcher Dylan Cease and MLB No. 21-ranked prospect catcher Ethan Salas plus another prospect part of the proposed package. The deal was “quickly rejected” by Boston.
“Every game’s important, the trade deadline is the trade deadline, we — that clubhouse knows where we’re at. We’re proven and we know we’re going to be a team that’s going to push and make the playoffs,” Shildt said about the importance of the games leading up to the trade deadline on Thursday, July 31.
“We have to prove it… I have complete confidence in this team, this team has complete confidence in itself. But starting tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow and the day after that every game’s important, but no different really than the expectations in April. But we’ve got to get back and just put together a good clean game; get a lead and get out guys in the back end involved a little bit and we’ll be right on track.
The third game of the set will see Randy Vásquez (3-4, 3.73 ERA) start for San Diego, while Matthew Libertadore (6-7, 4.13 ERA) will get the ball for St. Louis. First pitch at Busch Stadium is scheduled for 4:15 p.m.