SAN DIEGO – Lars Nootbaar provided St. Louis’ first run in four games with a solo homer, and then rookie Brendan Donovan gave the NL Central leaders an even bigger lift.
Donovan hit his first career grand slam slam in the seventh inning to lead Albert Pujols and the Cardinals to a 5-4 victory against the San Diego Padres on Thursday, snapping a three-game losing streak.
Pujols was among the first teammates to greet Donovan in the dugout.
“It was one of the bigger swings I’ve had this year so that was cool for me,” Donovan said.
Pujols remained at 698 career homers, although he did drive two balls to deep left field, one for a single and one for an out on the warning track. The next stop in his pursuit of the 700-homer club is Dodger Stadium, where the Cardinals open a three-game series on Friday.
Manny Machado hit his 30th homer for the Padres, who had won five in a row. They currently hold the NL’s No. 2 wild-card spot.
Donovan’s slam made a winner of Jack Flaherty (1-1), who struck out nine in six innings. He allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits and four walks.
Giovanny Gallegos pitched the ninth for his 14th save.
The Cardinals, who had been shut out in their previous three games, got on the board when Nootbaar led off the fifth with a drive to right against Joe Musgrove for his 13th homer. That ended a scoreless streak of 31 2/3 innings by Padres starters, five outs shy of the club record.
“We know we have a great team and a great offense that’s going to turn at any point,” Donovan said. “It was just a matter of who was going to do it. I’m pumped for Lars. That’s a big swing.”
Musgrove was gone after five innings and 72 pitches, and Adrian Morejon breezed through a perfect sixth to hold a 3-1 lead.
Alec Burleson singled leading off the seventh and Nootbaar drew a one-out walk, leading manager Bob Melvin to bring on Nick Martinez (4-4). Tommy Edman walked to load the bases before Donovan drove his first career grand slam deep to right-center.
Donovan said he was looking to drive a ball to the biggest part of the field and bring in a run when he connected on a 3-1 cutter. It was his fifth homer this season.
“It just kind of ran into my barrel a little more than I thought it would. I was still running hard. You never know,” he said.
Asked what going through his mind, he added: “Don’t miss the base. … I’m just running hard and make sure I hit all the bases on the way…