In a tight pitchers’ duel, Matthew Liberatore (2-1) guided the St. Louis Cardinals to a 2-1 win over the San Diego Padres on Thursday night. Liberatore allowed just three hits and one run over six innings, while striking out six and walking three. San Diego’s Michael King also pitched six innings, surrendering only one hit and one run with two walks and six strikeouts.
The game stayed tied until the seventh inning, when Masyn Winn delivered an RBI triple that broke the deadlock. Jordan Walker led off the seventh with a double off reliever Bradgley Rodriguez (0-2). After Nolan Gorman struck out, Winn’s looping fly dropped in front of right fielder Nick Castellanos and rolled to the corner, allowing Walker to score easily.
St. Louis’s bullpen locked down the lead from there. George Soriano and JoJo Romero each tossed a scoreless inning, and Riley O’Brien retired the side in the ninth for his 11th save in 13 opportunities.
San Diego scored its only run in the first inning. Manny Machado walked with two outs, moved to second on a single by Fernando Tatis Jr., and came home when Xander Bogaerts lined a check-swing single to right.
That was essentially it for the Padres’ offense. Liberatore faced the minimum over the next four innings and didn’t allow another hit until Miguel Andujar grounded a single to center with two outs in the sixth. Machado grounded out to end the inning.
Tatis led off the seventh with an infield single but was thrown out trying to steal second, a call confirmed after a manager’s challenge. That was the Padres’ last baserunner of the game.
Alec Burleson tied the game in the fourth by jumping on King’s first-pitch changeup and lining it 378 feet into the right-field seats. It was Burleson’s sixth homer and 30th RBI.
St. Louis had a chance to add insurance in the ninth after Walker doubled and Gorman walked to start the inning. But Jason Adam ended the threat, helped by Winn’s failed sacrifice bunt.
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