Chris Carpenter pitched one of his best games of the season Wednesday night, but the St. Louis Cardinals' veteran ace wasn't quite as good as San Diego Padres sophomore Mat Latos, who improved to 2-6 after throwing eight innings and allowing just one run. Latos and Carpenter, 1-5, have each begun the season as hard-luck losers, but something had to give—and Wednesday it was the Cardinals' offense, held scoreless for eight innings after Lance Berkman drove in Jon Jay to put them up 1-0 after the top of the first inning.
Chase Headley doubled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning to put the Padres up for good; Brad Hawpe's second-inning home run off Carpenter, his fourth of the year, had tied the game earlier. Jay and Berkman had two hits for the Cardinals, while Daniel Descalso doubled and Tyler Greene picked up the Cardinals' other hit. Carpenter struck out six without allowing a walk, and went the distance for the Cardinals in the loss.