SAN DIEGO (AP) – Brendan Donovan scored a grand slam in the seventh inning, helping Albert Pujols and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Diego Padres 5-4 Thursday night, putting National League leaders Central Central to score a three- game losing streak.
Pujols remained 698 home runs, although he scored two deep drives to the left of the field, one for a single and one for an elimination in the warning streak.
The next stop in his quest to join the 700-homer club will be Dodger Stadium, where the Cardinals will open a three-game streak on Friday.
Manny Machado scored 30 homers for the Padres, who had won five in a row. San Diego currently controls the second of three wildcard tickets available for the playoffs.
Donovan’s grand slam gave the win to Jack Flaherty (1-1), who eliminated nine in six innings, conceded three runs – two earned -, conceded four strokes and gave four walks.
Mexican Giovanny Gallegos was put in charge of the ninth chapter to help with his 14th save.
The defeat went to Nick Martínez (4-4).
For the Cardinals the Venezuelan Juan Yepez 2-0. The Dominicans Pujols 4-1.
For the Padres, the Dominicans Juan Soto 3-0, Machado 2-1 with a point scored and an RBI.
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