Padres end four-game losing skid with 3-1 win over Cardinals

ST. LOUIS - Rolling into Saturday's pivotal game on a four game losing streak, the San Diego Padres handled the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1 and avoided at Busch Stadium. 

It may have not been pretty but it got the job done for the Padres. It's business as usual, as the offense managed to get a couple of infield runs and was backed up by an all-around dominate pitching performance that allowed just three hits and one earned run (no runs given up by the bullpen).

"It has worked week," Padres manager Mike Shildt said. "It has worked out where we've had those guys available with Randy (Vásquez)." 

The Padres and their small-ball playing style is like oil and water; sometimes the strategy works, and other times it won't, like the previous two games in the series. 

The same could be said when talking about RISP, finishing 0-for-10 with ten runners left on base. Over the three games with RISP, they are 2-for-30 and have stranded a 27 runners. 

However, they also have 32 hits through three quarters of the stand, avoiding a sweep and created a scenario to split the series tomorrow before heading back to San Diego. 

"Tonight was a team win," Shildt said. "... We played good, good solid fundamental baseball. The offensive machine execution was really good. We took a lot of good at-bats and manufactured some runs."

The Padres started the second inning off against starting pitcher Matthew Liberatore (6-8, 4.04 ERA) with a groundout from Xander Bogaerts and Jake Cronenworth getting hit by a pitch on his right elbow. Swinging on a 95 mph sinker over the middle of the plate, left fielder Bryce Johnson got down an RBI single up the middle to center fielder Victor Scott II, who was charged with a fielding error that gave Cronenworth enough leeway to reach home plate from first base.

Playing with an early lead, starting pitcher Randy Vásquez (3-4, 3.65 ERA) began the second inning on solid footing but found himself in a 10 pitch at-bat against third baseman Nolan Arenado, that ended with a walk. A pop out later, right-fielder Jordan Walker lined a double sharply past the glove of Jackson Merrill to tie the game. 

What looked to be another strong opportunity for the Padres to knock in a couple of runs with back-to-back singles by Manny Machado and Merrill, ended with more frustration over RISP after Bogaerts grounded into a 5-4-3 double play. 

After Vásquez retired the 9-1-2 part of the order on five pitches, the Padres generated some baserunners during the fourth inning with a lead-off double by Cronenworth. Moving to third base on a Jose Iglesias groundout, he would come in to score to return the Padres their lead after beating the throw to the plate on Johnson’s fielder’s choice. 

The small-ball game got the Padres a 2-1 lead, however their ongoing issues with their lack of timely, clutch hitting with RISP stays persist as they left another pair of runners on second and third base. 

Vásquez would strikeout the lead-off hitter during the fourth inning but he caused some more commotion in the dugouts between the two teams after he plunked Willson Contreras on the hand from his 95 mph four-seam fastball. Willson, who was visibly upset after getting hit by a pitch for a second time over the last day (16 times this season) and nearly avoided a ball to the face a couple pitches prior, was seen hugging Vásquez at the end of the frame.  

Vásquez would be pulled for all-star reliever Adrian Morejon the following inning. Earning a no-decision, Vásquez threw 67 pitches (41 counted strikes), allowing one earned run, one hit, one walk and two strikeouts through 4 ⅔ innings. 

He also left the game sitting down nine of 10 batters he faced, with the last hit he allowed being the RBI double by Walker in the second inning. 

Morejon erased Scott II, Brendan Donovan, and Iván Herrera but would give up a hit to Alec Burleson with two-out in the sixth inning. Reliever Jeremiah Estrada, a second member of the four horsemen, would step in to strikeout Contreras on 98 mph four-fastball tight and inside the zone.

Estrada got through the seventh inning allowing a hit, forced a groundout and striking out the final batter. Jason Adam entered the game to replace Estrada and he, just like other two relievers, navigated the inning with a pop out, a walk, and a 6-4-3 double-play. 

The Padres tacked on another run to their lead during the top of the ninth inning following a ground-rule double by Johnson, a sac-bunt by Maldonado and an RBI ground by Fernando Tatis Jr. 

Following a single by Luis Arraez, Machado would unintentionally get hit by a pitch for a second time that caused the emotions to heat up when both benches cleared and Machado giving an earful to the home plate umpire Lance Barrett. Cardinals coach and former Padres outfield Jon Jay was ejected from the game following the delay after it looked like he said something to Machado that provoke the pushing and shoving. 

The final member of the four-horsemen, Robert Suárez appeared to close out the ninth inning and earned his league leading 30th save. During the ninth inning, Contreras would get hit by a pitch for third time, causing a moment of uncertainty whether if Suárez would get tossed from the game.  

Machado now has four consecutive multi-hit games, Merrill (six games) and Arraez (nine games) both extended his hitting streaks. Bogaerts ended his eight game hitting streak after going 0-for-4. 

Currently in the standings with a 56-49 record, the Friars are a game ahead of the Reds (55-50) and 1.5 games on top of the Giants (54-50) for the final NL Wild Card spot. And with the loss to the Red Sox, they are 5.5 games back from the Dodgers for first place in NL West. 

First pitch of the series finale will be at 11:15 a.m. that will include starting pitchers Stephen Kolek (3-5, 4.28 ERA), making his 14th start this season, and Cardinals right-hander Michael McGreevy (2-1, 3.49 ERA). 

Kolek, who started off the season on a good note earning three wins in his first five starts, has not been credited for a win since May 27 against the Marlins. As for the ball club, the Padres have been held winless in Kolek’s last seven starts on the mound and has gave up 21 earned runs with a 5.06 ERA through 37 ⅓ innings. 

In his last start against the Marlins during the 10 game roadtrip, he allowed three earned runs, eight hits and five strikeouts through 5 ⅔ innings.