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A year later, the Padres find themselves in slightly better standing. They are 55-49, one game ahead of their 54-50 record last July 24. They are also entering dangerous territory. The wins and losses tell a story of year-over-year improvement. The recent trend lines do not.

While the Cardinals pitchers worked around 11 hits to keep the Padres scoreless, the Cardinals' lineup pushed across three runs on five hits, a pair of walks, and a hit

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Ever since they joined MLB as an expansion team in 1969, the San Diego Padres have struggled when they have visited the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

The San Diego Padres face the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a 4-game set at Busch Stadium in St. Louis Thursday.

Padres could make a salary swap at trade deadline to try to get what they need for offense; it seems Martin Maldonado might not be going anywhere

Offensively, you want a higher on-base percentage from your bottom-of-the-lineup hitters during potential run-scoring at-bats. Preller must find a hitter who can put his bat squarely on the ball and increase the team’s run total.