ST. LOUIS -- — Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jackson Merrill each drove in two runs and finished with three hits as the San Diego Padres avoided a series sweep with a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday.

Tatis, who also stole a base, is 17 for 48 (.354) with four doubles and a home run in his last 11 games. Merrill highlighted his three-hit effort with a two-run homer in the ninth inning, his eighth of the season.

San Diego pounded out 14 hits, but went 4 for 14 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base. In consecutive losses to St. Louis, the Padres had scored just two runs and managed five total hits.

Griffin Canning (1-5) worked 4 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and a run in relief. It was his sixth career relief appearance. He has made eight starts this season. Bradgley Rodriguez started the second bullpen game of the series for the Padres. He pitched the first inning.

Kyle Leahy (5-4) pitched six innings in taking the loss as the Cardinals had their six-game home winning streak halted.

Merrill singled in the first inning, sending Samad Taylor to third. Manny Machado’s sacrifice fly scored Taylor, giving the Padres a 1-0 lead.

San Diego made it 2-0 in the fourth inning when Xander Bogaerts’ one-out RBI single scored Machado, who led off the inning with a double.

The Padres extended their lead to 3-0 in the fifth on an RBI double by Tatis. His run-scoring single in the ninth accounted for the final run.

St. Louis cut San Diego's lead to 3-1 when Alec Burleson extended his hitting streak to 17 games with an RBI single in the fifth.

Up next

Padres: After an off day Thursday, San Diego sends RHP Randy Vásquez (6-4, 3.63 ERA) against the Rangers on Friday. Texas has not named a starter.

Cardinals: LHP Matthew Liberatore (3-3, 4.71 ERA) takes on Royals LHP Noah Cameron (3-4, 4.11) in Kansas City on Thursday.

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