Coverage of today's Cards and Brewers game can be heard on The Big 870AM/96.3 FM Newstalk WTIM beginning at 6:40pm.
San Diego, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Shelby Miller worked six innings for his
first win in almost two months and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego
Padres 6-2 on Thursday to avoid being swept in a three-game series.
Miller (8-8) hadn't won since June 7 against Washington -- a span of seven
starts. He struck out five and gave up two runs on three hits and no walks.
Oscar Taveras hit a two-run homer and Matt Holliday added a two-run single for
the Cardinals, who bounced back from Wednesday's 12-1 loss to win for only the
third time in their last nine games. They went 3-3 on a six-game road trip.
Jedd Gyorko and Will Venable hit solo homers off Miller in the second inning.
San Diego's only other baserunner came in the sixth on Rene Rivera's double.
"A couple solo homers got (Miller) on the edge a little bit, then he stepped
in and started making some really nice pitches," said Cardinals manager Mike
Matheny.
Padres rookie Odrisamer Despaigne (2-3) yielded six runs, nine hits and a walk
in 5 2/3 innings to remain winless in his last four starts since winning his
first two.
The Padres traded outfielder Chris Denorfia to Seattle ahead of Thursday's
non-waiver deadline in exchange for outfielder Abraham Almonte and pitcher
Stephen Kohlscheen.
Taveras followed A.J. Pierzynski's two-out single in the second with a homer
to right field.
Padres manager Bud Black said Despaigne just couldn't seem to "wiggle out of
trouble."
"The pitch to Taveras was a changeup," said Black. "Not quite down and not
quite up either."
Gyorko and Venable each cracked homers to right in the bottom of the inning
for San Diego to tie the score.
In the third, Holliday followed a single by Matt Carpenter and double by
Kolten Wong with a two-run hit to give the Cardinals the lead.
They made it 6-2 in the sixth inning, chasing Despaigne. Tavares lined into an
unassisted double play with the bases loaded, but Peter Bourjos later hit an
RBI single and Pierzynski drew a bases-loaded walk off reliever Blaine Boyer
for the two-run lead.
Kevin Siegrist, Pat Neshek and Trevor Rosenthal each threw a perfect inning of
relief for the Cardinals.
Game Notes
The Padres will remain home for three games against Atlanta ... The Cardinals
start a six-game homestand Friday against Milwaukee.