Padres beat Cardinals, lock up fifth straight series win
Eric Lauer carried a shutout into the sixth inning, Manuel Margot had three hits and the San Diego Padres beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 on Wednesday night to win their fifth straight series.
Freddy Galvis drove in two first-inning runs for San Diego, which has won five of seven. The Padres hadn't won five consecutive series since 2010.
Marcell Ozuna homered for the Cardinals, who have lost three of four.
Lauer (3-4) gave up two runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. He's 3-0 when getting two or more runs of support.
Brad Hand recorded his 21st save in 23 opportunities. He got Jedd Gyorko to ground into a double play after hitting Yadier Molina to start the ninth.
St. Louis starter Luke Weaver (3-6) gave up four runs and nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. He has just one win over his last 11 starts.
Margot, who singled in the second and fourth, stretched the lead to 3-0 with a run-scoring triple in the sixth. Raffy Lopez followed with a broken-bat single off reliever Austin Gomber for a 4-0 lead.
Margot has hit safely in his last six games, going 9 for 20. He had two hits in a 4-2 win Tuesday.
San Diego reliever Jose Castillo struck out all four batters he faced after following Lauer.
SHARP DEFENSE
The Cardinals have not allowed an error in their last six games. It is their longest errorless stretch since Aug. 3-8 last season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: C Austin Hedges began a rehab assignment with Class A Lake Elsinore on Tuesday. He went 1 for 2. Hedges was placed on the DL on May 1 with right elbow tendonitis. He has missed 38 games.
Cardinals: INF Jose Martinez will be out on paternity leave for the upcoming weekend series against the Chicago Cubs.
UP NEXT:
Padres: RHP Tyson Ross (5-3, 3.43) will open a four-game series at Atlanta against RHP Anibal Sanchez (2-0, 2.37) on Thursday. The Padres are in 10-3 when Tyson starts and have won the last six.
Cardinals: RHP Michael Wacha (8-1, 2.47) face LHP Jon Lester (7-2, 2.22) in the first of a three-game home series against the Chicago Cubs on Friday. Wacha has won his last eight decisions against the Cubs.