Padres Win Sixth Straight Over Cardinals Behind Pivetta's Dominant Start

Nick Pivetta delivered a commanding performance for the San Diego Padres on Friday night, pitching seven innings with one hit and one run allowed, striking out five without walking a batter to secure his 11th win of the season. Despite an early solo home run by Willson Contreras giving the St. Louis Cardinals a 1-0 lead, the Padres capitalized on a critical defensive meltdown by the Cardinals in the fifth inning, scoring four unearned runs to take control of the game. Key errors by Contreras and Nolan Gorman allowed Jake Cronenworth and Jose Iglesias to advance and score, with Elias Díaz and Jackson Merrill driving in runs to extend the lead. Mason Miller, a new acquisition from the trade deadline, impressed in his first outing for the Padres by pitching a scoreless eighth inning amid strong fan support. The Padres extended their winning streak to six games, with strong contributions from recent trade additions including Ramón Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn. The Cardinals, struggling offensively with only four runs scored over their last five losses, will send Michael McGreevy to the mound in game two against Padres' Randy Vásquez.