Good Morning San Diego: Padres do just enough to beat Cardinals 4-2; Mason Miller strikes out four… in one inning

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: Mason Miller #22 of the San Diego Padres reacts after striking out JJ Wetherholt #26 of the St. Louis Cardinals to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 in a game at Petco Park on May 09, 2026 in San Diego, California.

(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images The San Diego Padres entered the top of the eighth inning with a 3-1 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park.

Padres reliever Adrian Morejon was on the mound and manager Craig Stammen was following the blueprint to a San Diego win. Randy Vasquez started the game and pitched five innings of one-run ball scattering six hits without allowing a walk and striking out six. Jeremiah Estrada worked a scoreless sixth and Jason Adam followed with a scoreless seventh.

Morejon was supposed to pitch a scoreless eighth before handing the ball to Mason Miller to close out the win. It did not happen that way . Instead, Morejon hit JJ Weatherholt to put a runner on with one out.