Jake Cronenworth cracked a two-run homer, and Dylan Cease tossed five scoreless innings as the San Diego Padres defeated the visiting St. Louis Cardinals 7-3 on Sunday.
Cease (4-10) allowed just one hit, a first-inning single to Ivan Herrera, and one walk while striking out nine. It was the first win for Cease, who was kept by San Diego general manager A.J. Preller at the trading deadline despite rumors he would be dealt, since June 21.
Cronenworth gave the Padres the only runs they would need in the bottom of the fourth inning, following Ramon Laureano’s infield single by ripping an Andre Pallante fastball an estimated 398 feet over the right-center field wall. It was Cronenworth’s ninth homer of the year.
Pallante (6-8) worked in and out of trouble for most of his five innings, permitting two runs on five hits. He walked three and fanned four but again suffered from a lack of run support. St. Louis has managed only 11 total runs in Pallante’s last seven starts.
San Diego broke the game open in the seventh with four runs off reliever Gordon Graceffo. Freddy Fermin singled, Fernando Tatis Jr. doubled, and Manny Machado walked to fill the bases for Jackson Merrill. He unloaded them with a triple down the right field line, and then scored on Xander Bogaerts’ sacrifice fly to center.
Laureano, one of seven players acquired in five trades by the Padres on Thursday, added a leadoff homer to right-center in the eighth. It was his 16th homer of the year and his first with San Diego.
The Cardinals made things mildly interesting in the ninth by scoring two runs early against reliever Adrian Morejon. Singles by Herrera and Alec Burleson, plus a walk to Willson Contreras, filled the bases with no outs.
Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker each stroked RBI singles, forcing the Padres to use closer Robert Suarez. He earned his 32nd save in 36 chances despite allowing a sacrifice fly to pinch-hitter Lars Nootbaar.
San Diego’s Luis Arraez extended his hitting streak to a 16 games with a first-inning single.
–Field Level Media
