The San Diego Padres closed out their home season with a dominant 12-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals, securing the rubber match of a three-game series. Juan Soto was the star of the game, hitting a massive 461-foot three-run homer in the first inning, adding an RBI double in the fourth, and making three impressive catches in left field.
The Padres, who have been in excellent form recently with nine wins in their last ten games, displayed their offensive firepower with runs scored in each of the first six innings. The team had a total of nine extra-base hits, highlighting their season-high-tying 18-hit performance.
Padres’ right-handed starter Michael Wacha delivered a strong performance, holding the Cardinals scoreless for six innings. Wacha, supported by outfielders Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr., allowed two runs on six hits and a walk while recording six strikeouts in seven innings.
Juan Soto’s contributions were not limited to his offensive prowess. He made a diving catch in short left field to save at least one run in the first inning and made two exceptional catches with long runs to his left and right in the fifth inning. In the sixth inning, Fernando Tatis Jr. leaped to make a crucial catch above the wall in right field, preventing a two-run homer from Michael Siani.
The Padres’ offensive attack began early when Xander Bogaerts doubled to open the bottom half of the first inning. Ha-Seong Kim reached base after his fly ball to right was dropped by Jordan Walker. Juan Soto capitalized on the opportunity by hitting a 461-foot, three-run homer to right-center field, giving the Padres a 3-0 lead without a single out recorded.
San Diego continued to add runs throughout the game, scoring two in the second, one in the third, two in the fourth, one in the fifth, and three in the sixth inning.
Juan Soto’s remarkable performance included hitting for the cycle, with a home run, double, and single. Catcher Luis Campusano also had an impressive game, contributing three hits, including a double.
Xander Bogaerts and Eguy Rosario both had triples and doubles in their five at-bats, with Rosario adding two RBIs and a run, while Bogaerts recorded an RBI and two runs.
Other notable contributors for the Padres included Kim, Tatis, Matthew Batten, and Jose Azocar, who hit a solo home run in the fifth inning. Every member of the Padres’ starting lineup recorded at least one hit.
Cardinals’ starting pitcher Drew Rom struggled, giving up eight runs (six earned) on 11 hits and a walk with four strikeouts in just 3 1/3 innings.
