After dropping four in a row, the Cardinals swept the Padres with yesterday’s 3-1 victory. Rookie starting pitcher Dan Haren lasted six innings, allowing six hits and one run. He struck out five batters and walked two but didn’t get the decision. Jason Simontacchi pitched two thirds of an inning and got his 8th win of the season. Jason Isringhausen pitched the ninth inning and earned his fifth save. The pitching had to be good because the offense wasn’t. St. Louis had just four hits and three of their runs were the result of outs. Kerry Robinson and Wilson Delgado’s grounders scored runs in the fourth and eighth innings. Mike Matheny drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to score Robinson, who tripled. In the first inning, Albert Pujols was hit with a pitch and got into it with Padres catcher Gary Bennett the confrontation turned physical. Both players were ejected, along with Padres manager Bruce Bochy and pitcher Adam Eaton.
