Padres Defeat Cardinals 7-5 in Playoff Race

The San Diego Padres secured their third consecutive win by defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 7-5, with Jake Cronenworth hitting a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning and Manny Machado homering. The Padres, with a 75-58 record, lead the four-game series against the Cardinals, who are now 65-66. Despite Paul Goldschmidt's home run, the Cardinals experienced their third loss in four games. Both teams are in the thick of the playoff race, with the Padres closely trailing the Diamondbacks for the NL's top wild-card spot and the Cardinals needing to overcome a five-game deficit for a wild-card berth. Padres' pitcher Dylan Cease struggled in the heat, giving up four runs, while Miles Mikolas allowed four runs for the Cardinals. The Padres' bullpen, led by Tanner Scott, continues to perform well, and the Cardinals' recent performance has been buoyed by Alec Burleson and Masyn Winn's contributions.