The St. Louis Cardinals notched a hard-earned series victory today with a 7-6 victory in a back-and-forth battle with the San Diego Padres.
Adam Wainwright (15-7) induced a quick one-two-three inning to start things off, while the Cardinals took Odrisamer Despaigne (3-4) for a bit of a ride in the bottom of the first. After Matt Carpenter led off with a single, Kolten Wong was walked. Matt Adam's single loaded up the bases and set up Jon Jay's two-run single to put the Cardinals on the board. The Redbirds added two more runs from back-to-back singles by Peter Bourjos and Tony Cruz.
After another Padres one-two-three inning, St. Louis extended their lead to 5-0 with Matt Carpenter's solo homer to lead off the inning.
San Diego was held off the board until the top of the fifth inning, when Jake Goebbert, who reached on a single and advanced to third on Will Venable's line drive that was deflected off of Kolten Wong, scored off of Alexi Amarista's single. This hit effectively shut down Wainwright's no-hit bid ending a string of eleven straight batters retired. The lead was cut to 5-2 with Yangervis Solarte's subsequent single that knocked in Venable.
The Padres' Tim Stauffer relieved Despaigne in the fifth inning, recording a strikeout and only giving up one hit.
A shaky play in the top of the sixth, as what should have been an RBI triple for Jake Goebbert ended up becoming an inside-the-park home run, as Kolten Wong's throwing error allowed Goebbert to score from his initial perch at third. Just like that, it was a one-run ballgame.
Wainwright's sacrifice bunt in the bottom frame of the inning helped set up a two-run double for Matt Carpenter.
Randy Choate walked his only batter of the night, one that led off the eighth. Pat Neshek came in to retire the side.
Blaine Boyer, who relieved Stauffer in the bottom of the seventh, pitched another tidy frame in the eighth striking out his first two batters and forcing Daniel Descalso to fly out.
What looked like a sure shot at a win was quickly put into jeopardy by Cardinals closer Trevor Rosenthal, who ended up walking the bases loaded. Seth Maness gave up a two-run single but put down the remaining two batters to secure a closer-than-wished 7-6 victory for the Cardinals.
Adam Wainwright earned his fifteenth win of the season while Odrisamer Despaigne was pegged with his fourth loss. Seth Maness earned his second save on the year. Matt Carpenter was the offensive star for the Cardinals, recording three hits, three RBIs and two runs scored.
St. Louis, who remains in second place in the National League Central, next hosts the Cincinnati Reds. The Padres, meanwhile, have a three-game set against the divisional leading Los Angeles Dodgers.