SAN DIEGO — The first indication that it was going to be a long day for the Cardinals came when the Padres’ second hitter of the game hit a fly ball that right fielder Jordan Walker lost in the sun and dropped for a two-base error.
It didn’t get any better from there.
The next batter, Juan Soto, hit a three-run homer estimated at 461 feet and the Padres were on their way to blowing out the Cardinals in San Diego.
Starter Drew Rom allowed more hits (11) than he got outs (10) and the Padres scored at least one run in each of the first six innings.
Another sign of how tough a day it was for the Cardinals was that Michael Siani was robbed of his first career homer by Fernando Tatis Jr. and Irving Lopez was denied his first career hit by an outstanding running catch in the left field corner by Soto.
Here is how Sunday’s game broke down:
At the plate: Michael Wacha held his former team to just four hits over the first six scoreless innings before Richie Palacios doubled leading off the seventh in front of a home run by Luken Baker, the second of his career … Palacios also was credited with a double in the second on a bloop to right field that Tatis lost in the sun … Except for the three runs the Cardinals scored in the 11th inning on Saturday night they have been held to two runs or fewer in six of their last seven nine-inning games and in the other game they scored three runs.
On the mound: Rom gave up the first eight runs to the Padres, six of them earned, with Walker and Lopez each committing an error in the first two innings … Seven of the 11 hits he allowed went for extra bases, including two triples in the second inning … The Padres added one run off Casey Lawrence and three off Andrew Suarez, who worked the final three innings.
Key stat: The 18 hits were the most the Cardinals have ever allowed in a nine-inning game in San Diego in team history. They allowed 19 hits in a 15-inning game there in 1979.
Worth noting: After holding the Padres to just one hit in 17 at-bats with runners in scoring position in the 11-inning win on Saturday night, the Cardinals gave up eight hits in 17 at-bats with a runner on second or third on Sunday … The nine extra-base hits were one shy of tying the record 10 extra base hits the Cardinals allowed in a game in San Diego in 1993 … Wacha has won both of his career starts against his former team, also getting a win last year while pitching for Boston. In a combined 12 1/3 innings he has allowed three runs.
Looking ahead: The Cardinals will have a day off on Monday in Milwaukee before beginning a three-game series against the Brewers on Tuesday night, their final road games of the year. Zack Thompson is the scheduled starter.
Follow Rob Rains on Twitter @RobRains
