SAN DIEGO โ Nick Pivetta showcased exceptional skill on the mound, surrendering just one hit and one run over seven innings as the San Diego Padres secured their sixth consecutive victory with a 4-1 triumph over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night.
Pivetta, boasting an 11-3 record, struck out five batters and allowed no walks. His only misstep came in the fifth inning when Willson Contreras hit a solo home run, putting the Cardinals ahead 1-0.
However, the Padres quickly turned the game around in the bottom of the fifth, capitalizing on two costly errors that contributed to three unearned runs. With Jake Cronenworth on first base and one out, Jose Iglesias grounded a ball slowly toward third baseman Nolan Gorman. Gormanโs throw went wide, hitting first baseman Contrerasโ glove and rolling away. This allowed Cronenworth to advance to third and score when Contrerasโ subsequent throw to Gorman ended up skipping away.
Elias Dรญaz followed with a single, bringing Iglesias home, and then Jackson Merrill delivered a two-out single against Matt Svanson, driving in another run to seal the inning for the Padres. Robert Suarez secured his spot as the leagueโs top closer with his 31st save, delivering a spotless ninth inning.
St. Louisโ starter, Matthew Liberatore, ended his outing after 4 1/3 innings, giving up four hits with four runs, only one of which was earned. A crucial moment unfolded when Padres reliever Mason Miller, newly acquired from the Athletics at the trade deadline, entered the game in the eighth inning amid cheers from the packed Petco Park. He adeptly handled the situation by inducing a double play from Yohel Pozo, staving off a potential rally with runners on the corners.
The Cardinals have been struggling, having lost five of their last six games. Throughout these five losses, theyโve managed to score a mere four combined runs.
Looking ahead to the next encounter, the Cardinals plan to send right-handed pitcher Michael McGreevy, who holds a 2-2 record and a 4.91 ERA, to the mound in the second game of the series on Saturday night. He will face San Diegoโs right-hander Randy Vรกsquez, who has a 3-4 record with a 3.65 ERA.