(Sports Network) - The St. Louis Cardinals try to maintain their spot as one
of the National League's two wild card leaders on Tuesday when they continue a
three-game set with the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
St. Louis continued to struggle in Monday's opener, as Cameron Maybin went 3-
for-4 with a two-run home run and San Diego cruised to an 11-3 win.
Maybin also scored three times, while Chris Denorfia had four hits and a pair
of RBI. Will Venable added a two-run single and had three RBI, and Logan
Forsythe went 3-for-6 with an RBI and finished a home run short of the cycle
for the Padres, who have won five of their last six games.
Eric Stults (6-2) allowed three runs on five hits with a walk and five
strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings to notch his fifth consecutive positive
decision.
Peter Kozma stroked a two-run triple and Allen Craig added an RBI single for
the Cardinals, who fell for the fourth time in their last five games and saw
their wild card lead cut to one game over the idle Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jaime Garcia (4-7) lasted just three innings and allowed four runs on seven
hits with three walks and four strikeouts. He has lost five of his last six
starts.
"I didn't get the job done. I left the ball up and didn't execute," Garcia
said.
St. Louis stands a good chance of righting its ship on Tuesday behind right-
hander Adam Wainwright, who tossed a four-hit shutout to beat the Padres back
on May 22. He is 3-1 lifetime against them with a 1.07 ERA in seven games (4
starts).
Wainwright, though, has lost his last two starts and fell to the New York Mets
on Wednesday, allowing five runs and eight hits in five innings. He is 13-12
on the year with a 4.04 ERA.
San Diego will counter with righty Edinson Volquez, who is 9-10 with a 4.27
ERA. Volquez was hit hard in a loss to Colorado back on Sept. 1, as he
surrendered five runs and nine hits in only 4 2/3 innings.
"There's nothing you can do on those kinds of days," said Volquez, whose
return to the mound was delayed by a blister on his throwing hand. "You can't
complain. That's just part of the game."
Volquez was on the wrong end of Wainwright's gem back in May and is 1-4 in
seven starts versus the Cardinals with a 5.59 ERA.
St. Louis swept the Padres earlier in the season and has won six of the last
eight meetings in the series.
The Sports Network