Sports – Page 33 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Wainwright, Cardinals avoid 3-game sweep, beat Padres 4-1

Posted on April 7, 2019

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Adam Wainwright has always wanted to make a grand entrance. The veteran St. Louis right-hander got his chance on Sunday.

Wainwright led the Cardinals onto the field with his fist in the air, shaking and cheering to pump up his team as the crowd went wild.

The theatrics worked perfectly as Wainwright was in vintage form, pitching six sharp innings as the Cardinals avoided a three-game sweep by beating the San Diego Padres 4-1.

“I’ve always dreamt about coming out on the field, and cuing music and getting the guys to run out in front of me,” Wainwright said. “I texted the team this morning and said, `I’ve always wanted to do this. You might think it’s corny.’ But they were like, `Let’s do it.”

“It fired me up, that’s what the goal was,” he said.

The actions by the normally businesslike Wainwright set the tone for the rest of the day.

“He brought us out and kicked our fans into gear,” St. Louis manager Mike Shildt said.

Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong, who drove in two runs, enjoyed the show.

“He’s a leader and a legend in this uniform,” DeJong said. “For us to be out there competing (with him) is a true honor. We were all engaged looking at him.”

The Padres hadn’t swept a series in St. Louis since 1980, and Wainwright (1-0) prevented it from happening this time at Busch Stadium.

The 37-year-old gave up one run and five hits. He struck out nine and didn’t issue a walk while throwing 100 pitches.

The longtime star of the St. Louis rotation was injured for most of last season, going just 2-4 in eight starts. He struggled in his first outing this year, giving up four runs on four hits and four walks in four innings at Pittsburgh.

“I knew coming into today I needed to be in a better place mentally,” Wainwright said. “When I’m good mentally, I’m usually pretty good physically.”

Wainwright struck out two in four of his six innings.

“The stuff was definitely there,” San Diego first baseman Eric Hosmer said. “He looked good. You can tell he’s feeling pretty healthy.”

Hosmer had an RBI single in the third for the Padres, who had won three in a row. San Diego’s other four hits off Wainwright were doubles.

Jordan Hicks recorded four outs for his first save in two chances. He struck out Manny Machado with a runner on to end the eighth.

“He’s got unbelievable talent,” Hicks said of Machado. “But I know I’m good as well.”

DeJong drove in a pair of runs with a fourth-inning double off Matt Strahm (0-2). Matt Carpenter walked and Paul Goldschmidt reached when left fielder Hunter Renfroe lost the ball in the sun. Renfroe was given an error on the play.

Carpenter added a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the seventh. Kolten Wong and Jose Martinez began the inning with back-to-back singles.

Wong pushed the lead to 4-1 with an infield single in the eighth. It brought in Yadier Molina, who led off the inning with a single, his third hit of the game.

St. Louis center fielder Harrison Bader made a pair of running catches and also threw out Renfroe at third on a fly ball to end the third.

San Diego won six of its first nine games entering the contest, its best start since the 2009 team also went 6-3.

“It’s good for a club’s confidence,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “Any time you have a chance to win three against a very good club, it’s great, but we didn’t seal the deal on that today.”

YADI ON THE RISE

Molina moved into seventh place on the Cardinals all-time hit list with 1,857. He passed Ken Boyer, who had 1,855.

“It’s a great honor,” Molina said. “I’m seeing the ball pretty well.”

MOVES

St. Louis RHP Alex Reyes and INF Yairo Munoz were sent to Triple-A Memphis prior to the game. LHP Tyler Webb and RHP Giovanny Gallegos were recalled and in uniform.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Padres: OF Franchy Cordero was held out of the lineup due to a sore right elbow. He left Saturday’s game in the fifth inning.

UP NEXT

Padres: LHP Eric Lauer (1-1, 3.27) will face LHP Madison Bumgarner (0-2, 1.38) in the first of a three game series in San Francisco on Monday. Lauer tossed six shutout innings on opening day in a 2-0 win over the Giants.

Cardinals: RHP Miles Mikolas (0-1, 7.20) will face LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu (2-0, 2.08) in the first of a four-game set in St. Louis on Monday.

— Associated Press —

Griffons drop series finale at Emporia State 11-3

Posted on April 7, 2019

EMPORIA, Kan. – Emporia State (20-12, 14-7) did what no team has been able to do all year, get to Anthony Castaneda early in an 11-3 win over Griffon Baseball (14-15, 11-10) on Saturday.

The Griffons led 3-1 after an inning and a half, but a four-hit, five-run second inning put the Hornets up for good.

NOTABLES

Castaneda dropped his second straight decision, allowing eight runs – six earned – on eight hits over 5 2/3. The eight runs allowed were four less than Castaneda had allowed through is first eight starts of the season.
Dusty Stroup extended his hot streak, going 4-for-4 at the plate to give the senior 12 hits in his last four games
The Griffons scored two runs on an error in the second to give MWSU a 3-1 lead
ESU answered with five runs in the bottom of the second
MWSU was charged with four errors in the game, the most for the team since Feb. 8 at Henderson State
Emporia State took the three-game series two games to one

UP NEXT

The Griffons return home to host Northwest Missouri State in a three game series beginning on Friday.

— MWSU Athletics —

Bearcats defeat Fort Hays State for fifth straight win

Posted on April 7, 2019

MARYVILLE, Missouri – The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team ran its season-high win streak to five in a row with a 4-3 triumph over the Fort Hays State Tigers on Saturday at the Bearcat Baseball Field.

Northwest (16-15 overall, 12-8 MIAA) got a three-hit performance from shortstop Logan Rycraft and six solid innings from starter Quintin Van Ackeren.

The Bearcats found themselves in an early hole as the Tigers touched up Van Ackeren for three runs in the first.

Northwest began chipping away at the three-run deficit in the home half of the third. Senior outfielder Derek Hussey led off the inning reaching base on an error. Hussey advanced on the next at bat on a successful sacrifice bunt by senior infielder Logan Rycraft. With two outs, junior infielder stepped into the batter’s box, slapping a single to center field and scoring Hussey from second base.

The Bearcats tied it up in the fourth. Senior Mondesi Gutierrez worked the count and drew a one-out walk. Hussey followed with his second hit of the game – a two-out double to deep left that plated Gutierrez all the way from first. Rycraft came through again with the first of his three hits with a single to center to score Hussey and knot the contest at 3-3.

Northwest took the lead of the contest in the fifth. Calvin Rudoph led off the inning with a single to right. Alixon Herrera tattooed a double down the left field line to move Hussey to third. Matt Gastner hit a sacrifice fly to right that was deep enough for Hussey to tag and score and give Northwest a 4-3 advantage.

Van Ackeren worked around a one-out walk in the sixth and head coach Darin Loe turned it over to the Bearcat bullpen. Alex Slocum worked a perfect seventh and Aaron Easley took advantage of a double play in the eighth to keep the Tigers off the board. Trevor Dudar closed the door in the ninth for his seventh save of the season.

The Bearcats will be back in action Sunday to play game three of the series against the Tigers. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.

NOTES: Rycraft recorded his third three-hit game of the season … Hussey notched his 14th multi-hit contest on the year … Rudolph extended his hitting streak to a team-best 11 games in a row … Connor Quick moved his team-leading on-base streak to 15 games.

— Northwest Athletics —

Western softball sweeps doubleheader at Fort Hays State

Posted on April 7, 2019

HAYS, Kan. – Griffon Softball (22-14, 9-5) outscored Fort Hays State (14-15, 7-7) 9-1 on Saturday to earn its second consecutive MIAA series sweep.

The wins vaulted the Griffons past Fort Hays State in the MIAA standings and into fifth place pending other Saturday results.

GAME 1
Missouri Western 4, Fort Hays State 1

Gabi Carter broke a scoreless tie with an RBI groundout in the third
Taylor Hoelscher made it 2-0 an inning later with an RBI single
Hoelscher put MWSU up 3-1 in the sixth with an RBI triple and Lauren Houston’s RBI single made it 4-1 Griffs in the sixth
Kenzie Hilzer struck out seven through five innings of relief after replacing Kaili Hinds in the third
Carter, Hoelscher and Houston had two hits each for all but one of the team’s total

GAME 2
Missouri Western 5, Fort Hays State 1

Emma Hoffart set the tone with a two-out, two-run home run in the first
Hoffart went 2-for-2 with three RBIs in the game, adding her third RBI on a fifth inning sacrifice fly
Sydni Hawkins drove in two with a single in the fifth
Lexi Kinnaird improved to 6-3 on the season, striking out seven in a complete game win
The Griffs were able to score the five runs on seven hits despite Fort Hays State pitcher Hailey Chapman striking out 11 batters

UP NEXT

Missouri Western plays a doubleheader at Nebraska-Kearney (12-16, 8-6) Sunday at noon.

— MWSU Athletics —

Northwest Missouri State softball loses a pair of one-run games at UNK

Posted on April 6, 2019

KEARNEY, Nebraska – The Northwest Missouri State University softball team came up short in a pair of one-run decisions at the University of Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday.

UNK won by scores of 7-6 and 4-3.

Game One
The Bearcats scored in the first inning on an RBI from Kaitlyn Weis allowing Olivia Daugherty to cross the plate, grabbing a 1-0 lead.

The Lopers answered in the bottom of the first with an RBI, tying the game 1-1. Nebraska-Kearney scored four runs in the bottom of the third, pushing the lead 5-1 over the Bearcats. The Lopers scored two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, advancing its lead to 7-1.

The Bearcats rallied in the top of the sixth scoring five runs. Kiana Baderdeen had an RBI allowing Daugherty to score. Sydne Brashear hit a three-run homer to left field. Next at bat, Karli Allen homered to left field.

The sixth inning rally wasn’t enough for the Bearcats as the Lopers went on to win, 7-6.

Game Two
The Bearcats were the first to score again in the top of the fourth inning. Kiana Baderdeen had an RBI single to right field, bringing in Jaedra Moses to score. Karli Allen hit a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Kaitlyn Weis to score to grab a 2-0 lead.

Nebraska-Kearney scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead 3-2 over the Bearcats.

Weis doubled to left center in the top of the fifth, allowing Ady Watts to score and tie the game at 3-3.

The Lopers scored one run in the bottom of the fifth to retake the lead and the contest, 4-3.
The Bearcats will be back in action Sunday in a doubleheader against Fort Hays State in Hays, Kansas beginning at 12 p.m.

NOTES: Kaitlyn Weis leads the squad with a batting average of .421 … she has also tallied eight home runs and 21 RBI … Olivia Daugherty is slugging .412 with four home runs and 21 RBI … Erin Keeney leads the squad in RBI with 30 Keeney has also registered six home runs and is batting .295.

— Northwest Athletics —

Royals fall at Detroit for fifth straight loss

Posted on April 6, 2019

DETROIT (AP) — This was the type of win that Detroit fans can be encouraged by — not only did the Tigers rally in the late innings, but one of their top young players delivered the key home run.

Christin Stewart hit a two-out grand slam in the seventh inning, lifting Detroit to a 7-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. The Tigers trailed 4-2 in the seventh but rallied against Kansas City’s struggling bullpen.

Kevin McCarthy (0-1) allowed three hits and a hit batter. The only out on his watch came with the score 4-3, when Alex Gordon threw Josh Harrison out at the plate. Detroit eventually loaded the bases with two out, and Stewart hit a drive down the line in right field off Wily Peralta.

“I love the kid. I said he can hit. I said he’s going to be a power hitter,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. “He’s going to have his ups and downs. He’s going to chase. He’s going to have some bad at-bats, but it’s a growing experience for him.”

Stewart is hitting just .143, but this was the second home run of the season for Detroit’s rookie outfielder. His other one was also big — a 10th-inning shot at Toronto that provided all the scoring in a 2-0 victory in the season opener.

“Won both games, that’s the biggest thing,” Stewart said. “I’m just thankful I was able to be a part to help us.”

After the game, Stewart got the grand slam ball back, giving a fan a signed bat in exchange.

Whit Merrifield, Jorge Soler and Hunter Dozier all homered for the Royals, but Kansas City’s bullpen — which entered the game with a 7.45 ERA — couldn’t hold on.

Shane Greene pitched a perfect ninth and now has saves in all six Detroit victories this season — without blowing any. The Tigers have won four straight, and the Royals have dropped five in a row.

“If I get frustrated, then the players see that I’m frustrated, then all of a sudden they start pressing more because they don’t want this, they don’t like this,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost said. “So my job is not to get frustrated, my job is to continue to support and continue to lead these guys through this period. They’re going to get through it.”

Tigers starter Matt Moore retired the first eight hitters he faced, but he left the game after three innings with a right knee injury. The team announced it as a sprain, although Gardenhire described it afterward as a strain. Detroit announced it would put Moore on the 10-day injured list. Daniel Norris, who pitched three innings in relief of Moore, is joining the rotation in his place.

Detroit led 2-0 in the sixth when Merrifield hit a solo shot, extending his hitting streak to 27 games. Kansas City then tied it in the seventh on a home run by Soler, and Dozier hit a two-run homer off Victor Alcantara (2-0) later that inning.

Nicholas Castellanos hit an RBI single in the seventh for the Tigers, and Miguel Cabrera followed with a single that could have loaded the bases with nobody out. Instead, third-base coach Dave Clark sent Harrison, who was thrown out at home. One out later, Jeimer Candelario drew a walk that loaded the bases for Stewart.

Merrifield’s hitting streak, which dates to last season, is now tied for the second-longest in Royals’ history. Jose Offerman had a 27-game streak in 1998, and George Brett had a 30-game run in 1980.

Royals first baseman Frank Schwindel, whose error in the second gave Detroit the game’s first run, singled in the seventh for his first career hit.

Cabrera hit an RBI single in the fifth that put the Tigers up 2-0.

STARTERS

Moore’s three scoreless innings lowered the ERA for Detroit’s starters to 2.12. The only baserunner he allowed came on the play when he got hurt. He went to the ground to field Billy Hamilton’s bunt to the right of the mound. Hamilton ended up with an infield single and went to second on Moore’s throwing error. Moore finished the inning, then left the game.

Kansas City starter Jorge Lopez allowed one earned run in six innings.

“I feel good since first inning,” Lopez said. “The plan was to be down, looking for soft contact.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: OF JaCoby Jones (left shoulder) and RHP Drew VerHagen (right shoulder) started rehab assignments with Class A Lakeland on Friday night. Jones went 1 for 4 but struck out three times, which left Gardenhire a bit bemused. “Says, `When am I getting out of this place?’ You’re in A ball, just struck out three times,” Gardenhire said with a smile. “When you get a couple hits, not strike out three times in A ball — that would be my answer.”

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Brad Keller (1-0) takes the mound in the series finale Sunday. Because of off days, he’ll be able to start for the third time in Kansas City’s first eight games.

Tigers: RHP Tyson Ross (0-1) makes his first home start for Detroit after signing in the offseason.

— Associated Press —

MWSU men’s golf finishes 7th at NSIC Regional Preview

Posted on April 6, 2019

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Missouri Western Men’s Golf completed the second and final round of the NSIC Regional Preview at Shoal Creek Golf Club in Kansas City. The Griffons placed seventh in the field of 18 teams with a two-round score of 601.

After entering Saturday in sixth place, the Griffons slid one slot after the final round. Although Missouri Western dropped to seventh, the team finished just seven strokes back of fourth place in a very tightly-contested team leaderboard.

Patrick McCarthy was the top finisher for Missouri Western, tying for 12th place. After a first-round score of 77 (+6), McCarthy bounced back with a 69 (-2) in the second round. McCarthy tied for the best second-round score on Saturday, bringing his two-round total to 146. McCarthy made the biggest jump on the leaderboards on the team, as he entered Saturday outside of the top-30.

Tom Buffington finished with an overall score of 149 to tie for 21st. He followed his first round of 73 (+2) with a 76 in the second.

Lucas Horseman tied for 30th after his 152 over the two rounds. His best performance came in the first round when he shot a four-over 75.

Cole Roberts finished with a score of 154 while Jett Simmons shot a 158 over the two rounds.

Missouri Western will travel to Bolivar, Missouri on April 15 for its final competition before the MIAA Championship.

— MWSU Athletics —

Northwest’s Witthus named finalists for Bevo Francis Award

Posted on April 6, 2019

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – After another incredible season of basketball across the country, Small College Basketball has selected nine of the finest men’s basketball players who compete in the affiliations of NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA Division I, NAIA Division II, USCAA and NCCAA, as finalists for the 2019 Bevo Francis Award.

Northwest Missouri State senior guard Joey Witthus (Chanhassen, Minnesota) is one of the nine finalists. Witthus, the MIAA player of the year and most outstanding player at the MIAA tournament, averaged a team-best 21.1 points per game and shot 50.9 percent from the field. Witthus buried an-MIAA high 114 three-pointers, and he shot 45.2 percent from beyond the three-point arc. Witthus led Northwest in free throws made (170) and he shot 86.3 percent from the free throw line. Witthus earned a spot in the Elite Eight All-Tournament team after helping lead Northwest to the 2019 NCAA Division II national championship. Witthus has earned All-America honors from the NABC, Basketball Times and D2CCA.

This marks the fourth season of the Bevo Francis Award, as the award was previously given to Dominez Burnett of Davenport (Mich.) in 2016, Justin Pitts of Northwest Missouri State in 2017 and Emanuel Terry of Lincoln Memorial last season.

“Congratulations to the finalists for the 2019 Bevo Francis Award,” said Small College Basketball Founder, John McCarthy. “This is an incredibly elite group of players, as they were selected from over 1,100 schools; as such, these nine players were selected from approximately 13,000 – 16,000 players throughout the country…..THAT’S elite!

“Not only did each player have an outstanding individual season, but they also led their respective team to a tremendous year. Every team represented by the finalists made their respective national tournament. I am very grateful to our National Awards Committee, as they have provided a tremendous amount of information and done background checks on every one of our finalists. Truly, it’s a tremendous honor to be named as finalist for the prestigious Bevo Francis Award, and I am very pleased for each of them, as they earned this distinction.”

Members of the Bevo Francis Award committee include the following coaches: Tobin Anderson – St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.), Gerald Holmes – Bloomfield (N.J.), Gary Stewart – Stevenson (Md.), Arlen Galloway – Wentworth (Mass.), Chris Briggs – Georgetown (Ky.), Bill Dreikosen – Rocky Mountain (Mont.), Klint Pleasant – Rochester (Mich.), Ryan Kane – Ripon (Wisc.), Mark Berokoff – Hillsdale Baptist (Okla.), Mike Donnelly – Florida Southern, Rhett Soliday – Vanguard (Calif.), Sam Hargraves – Alma (Mich.) and Ryan Looney – Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.).

The nine finalists for the 2019 Bevo Francis Award include:

Aston Francis, Wheaton
Jeff Garrett, LSU-Shreveport
Tim Guers, St. Anselm
Daulton Hommes, Point Loma Nazarene
Cameron Hunt, Southwestern
Jonathan Lawton, Florida Southern
Sam Vander Sluis, Cornerstone
Will Vorhees, Notre Dame College
Joey Witthus, NW MO State

The committee chose this elite group from over 1,100 colleges and universities and took into consideration individual statistics, previous awards, milestones and team success.

The 2019 Bevo Francis Award winner will be announced on April 8. The award will be presented to the award winner on May 11 at the SCB National Awards Show in conjunction with the SCB Alumni Association’s Celebration of the Game event at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

Small College Basketball is very grateful to the University of Rio Grande and Sheward-Fulks Insurance for their sponsorship and support of the Bevo Francis award.

— Northwest Athletics —

Griffon tennis defeats Lindenwood

Posted on April 6, 2019

ST. JOSEPH – Just four days after picking up a non-conference win at home, Missouri Western (10-10, 1-5 MIAA) earned its first MIAA win of the season in a 6-1 victory over Lindenwood on Saturday. The Griffons lost just one singles match after taking the doubles advantage in the win.

Karolina Ström and Joanna Abreu Roman got things rolling for Missouri Western early. The Griffons’ top doubles team cruised to a 6-1 win. The two now extend their team-high wins total to 16 this season. Daniela Alvarado Maldonado and Erica Dunn lost a competitive 7-5 contest in the day’s next match. Federica Salmaso and Bojana Vuksan won the third doubles match by default, giving the edge to the Griffons heading into singles play.

Ström walked away with a win after two close sets (7-6, 7-5) on the number one court. Abreu Roman also won a tightly-contested first set by a score of 7-5 before settling in for a 6-1 win in the second set.

Salmaso and Vuksan each won their matches comfortably. Salmaso’s win on Saturday brings her duals record to 10-7 on the season while Vuksan improves to 8-6.

Missouri Western will aim to make it three-straight home wins when the team hosts Southwest Baptist (8-4, 4-1 MIAA) on Sunday.

MWSU VS. LU
SINGLES
Karolina Ström (MWSU) def. Haya Hamed (LWU) 7-6, 7-5
Joanna Abreu Roman (MWSU) def. Dana Minakova (LWU) 7-5, 6-1
Natalia Cordero (LWU) def. Ciarra Gilmore (MWSU) 6-7, 7-6, 11-9
Federica Salmaso (MWSU) def. Alexis McCarthy (LWU) 6-2, 6-2
Bojana Vuksan (MWSU) def. Laura Castro Milan (LWU) 6-2, 6-1
Erica Dunn (MWSU) def. No player (LWU), by default

DOUBLES
Abreu Roman/Ström (MWSU) def. Hamed/McCarthy (LWU) 6-1
Cordero/Minakova (LWU) def. Alvarado Maldonado/Dunn (MWSU) 7-5
Salmaso/Vuksan (MWSU) def. No player/No player (LWU), by default

— MWSU Athletics —

St. Louis lets 8th inning lead slip away, loses 2nd straight to Padres

Posted on April 6, 2019

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Austin Hedges loves the depth of San Diego’s lineup.

Hedges and Manny Machado each hit a two-run homer off Andrew Miller in the eighth inning, helping the Padres beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 on Saturday for their third consecutive win.

“Our one through three hitters the last couple years are hitting six through eight,” Hedges said. “It gives us a lot of confidence that no matter who’s coming up, it might be someone else’s day that day.”

Fernando Tatis Jr. opened the eighth with a walk and Hedges, the eighth-place hitter, followed with a go-ahead drive over the wall on in left.

“I just got a fastball out over which is what I was trying to do,” Hedges said. “He’s got such a nasty slider that’s going to get to the back foot. I chased one early but I made an adjustment and stuck to my approach and got my mistake.”

San Diego also caught a break when St. Louis first baseman Paul Goldschmidt dropped Ian Kinsler’s foul popup for an error. Kinsler then walked.

After Eric Hosmer flied out, Machado made it 6-3 with his second homer of the season.

It was the first time that Miller (0-1) allowed multiple homers in a game since Sept. 22, 2015, for the New York Yankees at Toronto.

“The free passes are killing me,” Miller said. “I felt like I made an adjustment coming into to do something today and didn’t see the results I wanted, so keep working at it.”

Matt Wisler (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win in his first outing with the Padres. Kirby Yates worked the ninth for his fifth save in five chances.

“Everyone wants to come in and help the team win,” Wisler said. “To be able to do that in the first game is obviously a great first step.”

Marcell Ozuna hit a long two-run homer for St. Louis, and Kolten Wong also drove in a run. Michael Wacha allowed one run and three hits in 5 2/3 innings, but issued a career-high eight walks and threw 119 pitches, matching his career high from his lone complete game at the New York Mets on July 18, 2017.

“You’re talking about a warrior today,” Cardinals manager Mike Shildt said about Wacha. “Just getting after it and making a lot of quality pitches and making quality pitches when he needed to. Rode him a little bit longer than maybe would’ve like to have but he’s that kind of guy you can do it with.”

San Diego rookie Chris Paddack lasted just 3 2/3 innings in his second career start. He allowed one run and one hit, struck out four and walked four.

The game was tied at 1 before Ozuna connected against Robert Stock in the fifth, sending a massive drive into the third deck in left field for his first homer of the season.

Hosmer led off the San Diego seventh with his first homer of the season, trimming the Cardinals’ lead to 3-2.

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

The Padres have won four consecutive games in St. Louis for the first time since Busch Stadium III opened in 1996. San Diego had not won four straight in St. Louis since taking five in a row from 1991-1992.

MOVING ON UP

St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina singled in the ninth for his 1,854th career hit, moving him past Curt Flood for ninth on the franchise list.

MEMPHIS BOUND

Following Saturday’s loss, Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak confirmed the club planned to option right-hander Alex Reyes to Triple-A Memphis. Reyes is 0-1 with a 15.00 ERA and six walks in four appearances.

TRAINER’S TABLE

Padres: CF Franchy Cordero left in the fifth inning after aggravating his sore right elbow on a swing in the third inning. Manager Andy Green said he removed Cordero mostly as a precaution and did not have any more information on his status.

Cardinals: RHP Luke Gregerson remains on a rehabilitation assignment with Single-A Palm Beach. He is coming back from a right shoulder impingement.

UP NEXT

Padres: LHP Matt Strahm (0-1, 16.88 ERA) will make his first road start of the season on Sunday. He has not allowed an earned run in two career appearances against the Cardinals.

Cardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (0-0, 9.00) is 6-4 in 11 career starts against the Padres.

— Associated Press —