Good Morning San Diego: Offense fails to show up for Michael King, Padres lose to Cardinals

Yahoo Sports14h ago4 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

The San Diego Padres lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 2-1, with Michael King delivering a strong six-inning performance. Despite taking an early lead, the Padres' offense struggled, managing only four hits throughout the game.

Key points

Padres lost 2-1 to the Cardinals
Michael King pitched six innings with one run allowed
Fernando Tatis Jr. was controversially called out at second base
Luis Campusano was placed on the injured list with a fractured toe
Padres managed only four hits in the game

San Diego PadresSt. Louis CardinalsMichael KingFernando Tatis Jr.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 07: JJ Wetherholt #26 of the St. Louis Cardinals tags out Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres as he attempted to steal second base during the seventh inning of a game at Petco Park on May 07, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images San Diego Pardes starting pitcher Michael King deserved better than what he got. The right-hander has returned to form as the ace of the staff, especially with Nick Pivetta, Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove, on the injured list and he delivered a six-inning performance allowing one run on one hit before he was removed from the game after 86 pitches. When King walked off the mound, the game was tied, 1-1 but the Padres allowed another run to the St. Louis Cardinals in the top of the seventh inning and lost the game, 2-1 to open . King’s one hit allowed was a solo home run off the bat of in the top of the fourth inning, which tied the game at 1-1. and looked to be in control recording six strikeouts, while allowing two walks. took the mound for King in the top of the seventh inning and allowed a leadoff double to . He struck out , but then allowed a triple to , which gave a 2-1 lead. To his credit, Rodriguez stranded Winn at third base, getting the next two batters to strikeout and groundout to end the inning. San Diego got on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a check swing flyball off the bat of that sailed over the infield and dropped into right field for a single that allowed to score to give the Padres a 1-0 lead. The San Diego offense could not get anything going after that, scratching out just four hits against St. Louis pitching. Two of those hits came from Fernando Tatis Jr. who opened the bottom of the seventh inning with a single to right field. Tatis Jr. then stole second base, or so it appeared, but he was called out. The play went to review, but the call was upheld although it was clear his right foot contacted the base prior to him being tagged. There was no way to know at the time, but Tatis Jr. would be the last Padres batter to reach base in the game. San Diego will continue searching for offensive consistency today against St. Louis at 6:45 p.m. **Padres News:**

Q&A

What was Michael King's performance in the game against the Cardinals?

Michael King pitched six innings, allowing one run on one hit and recording six strikeouts.

How did the Padres score their only run against the Cardinals?

The Padres scored their only run in the first inning when Xander Bogaerts' single allowed Manny Machado to score.

What controversial play involved Fernando Tatis Jr. during the game?

Fernando Tatis Jr. was called out attempting to steal second base, a decision that was upheld upon review despite evidence suggesting he touched the base before being tagged.

What is the current status of Luis Campusano after the game?

Luis Campusano fractured a toe and was placed on the injured list, allowing Rodolfo Duran to make his MLB debut.