Field Level Media
May 13, 2018
Clayton Richard held the Cardinals to two runs on five hits over eight innings Sunday afternoon, and the Padres ruined Adam Wainwright's return from the disabled list, holding on to score a 5-3 victory that gained San Diego a split of the four-game series against visiting St. Louis.
Richard (2-5) picked up the win to snap a four-decision losing streak. He walked one while equaling his career high of 10 strikeouts.
Wainwright, 36, came off the disabled list Sunday to make his first start since April 23. He had missed four starts due to inflammation in his right elbow. He allowed two runs on three hits and issued a career-high six walks with three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings.
It could have been worse. Only 38 of the 79 pitches thrown by Wainwright were strikes. His fastball topped out at 89 mph and was regularly in the 85-87 range with spotty command. Several of his off-speed pitches dipped below 70 mph.
The middle-infield combination of shortstop Freddy Galvis and second baseman Jose Pirela paced the Padres' offense. Galvis, who entered the game in a 14-for-89 slump, went 2-for-2 with a double, a walk, a sacrifice fly and a run. Pirela had a RBI double in three at-bats and scored two runs.
The Padres loaded the bases against Wainwright in the first but failed to score.
The third opened with Eric Hosmer and Pirela drawing back-to-back walks, and Raffy Lopez walked to load the bases after Franchy Cordero struck out. Cory Spangenberg singled home Hosmer to end Wainwright's afternoon. Pirela then scored on a sacrifice fly by Galvis off John Gant.
The Padres made it 4-0 with two more runs off Gant in the fourth. Travis Jankowski singled to left to open the inning and scored on Pirela's one-out double. Cordero singled home Pirela.
St. Louis halved the deficit in the sixth. Tommy Pham drew a one-out walk and scored on Harrison Bader's ensuing triple. Jose Martinez's single knocked in Bader.
Bader led off the ninth with a homer off Padres closer Brad Hand. The Cardinals loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter before Hand struck out Carson Kelly and Kolten Wong for his 11th save.
--Field Level Media