Padres get rare win against Cards with 10th-inning HR

SAN DIEGO -- After toiling in the Mexican Leagues, this was a moment for Miguel Ojeda to savor.

Ojeda, who played eight seasons in Mexico, enjoyed his biggest major league moment Monday night when he hit a one-out home run in the 10th inning off Lance Painter, giving the San Diego Padres a 5-4 win over the Cardinals.

Ojeda, 28, had a tough time containing his glee after enduring a beer bath from his teammates.

"One of the greatest feelings you can have in baseball," Ojeda said. "I've done it before in Mexico, but it doesn't compare to the feeling of doing it in the big leagues."

Ojeda jumped on a 3-2 changeup from Painter and hit it an estimated 397 feet into the left-field stands for his first career game-winning home run.

"I made a bad pitch, it didn't move," Painter said. "It sat right over the middle of the plate. I didn't want to walk him in that situation."

San Diego beat St. Louis for just the fifth time in 34 games, dating to 1999.

"To hit a walkoff home run -- what else can I ask?" said Ojeda, who hit his third homer of the season. "I came in here and just wanted to enjoy the moment. This is something I've only dreamed about before."

Ojeda, who entered in the ninth as part of a double switch, is hitting .247 with three homers and 18 RBIs in 27 games. The catcher signed a minor league contract over the winter and had his contract purchased from the Mexico City Red Devils on May 17.

Jay Witasick (2-1) worked two perfect innings for the win.

Painter (0-1) got out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth when he retired Sean Burroughs on a groundout to end the threat.

Albert Pujols put the Cardinals ahead 4-3 in seventh when he singled in Orlando Palmeiro, who led off with a pinch-hit single off starter Jake Peavy.

But San Diego tied it 4-all in the eighth off Steve Kline on a one-out sacrifice fly by Burroughs.

Ryan Klesko drove in three of San Diego's runs with a pair of doubles and a sacrifice fly.

The Cardinals went ahead 3-2 in the fourth on a throwing error by right fielder Xavier Nady.

Peavy walked Pujols and Edmonds to start the inning. After striking out Rolen, Martinez lined a single to right field with the runners moving. Nady tried to throw out Edmonds at home, but his throw sailed into the St. Louis dugout, allowing Edmonds to score and Martinez to take third.

One out later, pinch-hitter Kerry Robinson's infield single scored Martinez for a 3-2 lead.

Noteworthy

Matt Morris, injured in the first inning, matched his shortest out of the season. A rain delay and a tender right shoulder also abbreviated his start on June 14 at New York against the Yankees.

Edmonds was back in the starting lineup after missing two of four games in the Cardinals' last series because of a sore right shoulder.