Volquez pitches Padres past Cardinals
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Alexi Amarista and Logan Forsythe each drove in a pair of runs to lead the San Diego Padres over the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-4, in the middle test of a three game set.
Yonder Alonso and Cameron Maybin also tallied an RBI for the Padres, who have won six of their last seven.
"We're playing good ball right now," Forsythe said. "Big hits in big situations. We're having fun."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Edinson Volquez (10-10) earned the win after giving up three runs -- two earned -- on four hits and six walks over 5 1/3 innings.
David Freese smacked a solo homer and Jon Jay and Skip Schumaker also tallied an RBI for the Cardinals, who have dropped five of six.
"The bottom line is we have to win, regardless of if the other teams in contention are losing or not," Freese admitted.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Cardinals, who own the final NL wild card spot, hold just a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers, and also saw the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers creep within four-games.
Adam Wainwright (13-13) gave up five runs -- two earned -- on five hits and struck out six over six frames.
St. Louis scored a run in both the second and third to take an early lead.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In the second, Allen Craig and Yadier Molina stroked back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. Schumaker followed two batters later with a ground out to score Craig.
In the third Jon Jay ripped a grounder to Everth Cabrera at third, but his throw was off-target and Jay took second. Following a Carlos Beltran fly out, Jay stole third before scoring on another Cabrera error.
But the Padres scored five in the fourth to take the lead. With the bases loaded Wainwright walked Alonso to force in a run. Forsythe followed with a double to left-center field to plate a pair. Amarista added a triple later in the frame to score Forsythe and Maybin.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Cardinals added one in the sixth, but stranded two runners. Schumaker walked then moved to third on a Pete Kozma single to right field. After Wainwright struck out, Jay ripped a single to knock in Schumaker. Beltran would follow with a pop up to the catcher before Matt Holliday flied out to deep right-center field.
Freese smacked a solo shot in the seventh to pull St. Louis within one.
But the Padres added an insurance runs in the eighth when Alonso doubled then scored on Maybin's base hit.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Game Notes
Padres are 14-10 in two-run games ... San Diego went 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position. The Cardinals were just 1-for-14 and left 13 runners on base ... The Cardinals were without first baseman Lance Berkman, who was scheduled to undergo season-ending surgery on Tuesday.