SAN DIEGO — Lars Nootbaar provided St. Louis' first run in four games with a solo homer, and then rookie Brendan Donovan gave the NL Central leaders an even bigger
Donovan, a former standout at Enterprise High School, hit his first career grand slam in the seventh inning to lead Albert Pujols and the Cardinals to a 5-4 victory against the San Diego Padres on Thursday, snapping a three-game losing streak.
“It was one of the bigger swings I've had this year so that was cool for me," Donovan said. Pujols remained at 698 career homers, although he did drive two balls to deep left field, one for a single and one for an out on the warning track. The next stop in his pursuit of the 700-homer club is Dodger Stadium, where the Cardinals open a three-game series on Friday. People are also reading… Manny Machado hit his 30th homer for the Padres, who had won five in a row. They currently hold the NL's No. 2 wild-card spot. Donovan's slam made a winner of Jack Flaherty , who struck out nine in six innings. He allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits and four walks.The Cardinals, who had been shut out in their previous three games, got on the board when Nootbaar led off the fifth with a drive to right against Joe Musgrove for his 13th homer. That ended a scoreless streak of 31 2/3 innings by Padres starters, five outs shy of the club record. “We know we have a great team and a great offense that’s going to turn at any point," Donovan said."It was just a matter of who was going to do it. I’m pumped for Lars. That’s a big swing.” Musgrove was gone after five innings and 72 pitches, and Adrian Morejon breezed through a perfect sixth to hold a 3-1 lead. Alec Burleson singled leading off the seventh and Nootbaar drew a one-out walk, leading manager Bob Melvin to bring on Nick Martinez . Tommy Edman walked to load the bases before Donovan drove his first career grand slam deep to right-center. Donovan said he was looking to drive a ball to the biggest part of the field and bring in a run when he connected on a 3-1 cutter. It was his fifth homer this season. “It just kind of ran into my barrel a little more than I thought it would. I was still running hard. You never know," he said. Asked what going through his mind, he added: “Don't miss the base. ... I'm just running hard and make sure I hit all the bases on the way by."
Please follow us on Google to support us United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
This Storied San Diego Landmark Has Been Transformed Into a Luxe, 13-Key Boutique HotelThe new Orli La Jolla hotel is set within a historic 1900s building designed by Irving Gill.
Read more »
San Diego City Council considers water rate increaseTuesday, San Diego City Council approved what they call a pass-through rate increase for their water that would go into effect at the start of the new year.
Read more »
San Diego housing commission awarded $7.5M grant for minority homebuyersReports show the rate of homeownership is significantly lower for households of color than white households.
Read more »
San Diego apologizes for support of WWII detention campsSAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego City Council rescinded a resolution it passed 80 years ago in support of the incarceration of Japanese Americans in prison camps during World War II. During a meeting Tuesday, council members called the camps and the 1942 resolution supporting them racist and unjust.
Read more »
San Diego apologizes for supporting WWII detention campsThe San Diego City Council has rescinded a resolution that was passed during WWII to support the incarceration of Japanese Americans in prison camps.
Read more »
San Diego apologizes for supporting Japanese incarceration during World War IIThe San Diego City Council on Tuesday rescinded a resolution from January 27, 1942, that urged the FBI to remove Japanese Americans and other 'enemy aliens' from the community.
Read more »