Dylan Cease Dominates as Padres Defeat Cardinals 7-3: Cronenworth, Laureano Homer in San Diego Victory (August 3, 2025)

Sunday, August 3rd, 2025

Padres Defeat Cardinals 7-3 Behind Dylan Cease’s Dominant Start

The San Diego Padres delivered an impressive performance at Petco Park, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 7-3. Dylan Cease led the charge, allowing just one hit over five innings while striking out nine batters with only one walk. This victory brought the Padres to a 62-50 record and marked their seventh win in eight games, narrowing the gap behind the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.

Pitching Shines for San Diego

Dylan Cease (4-10) set the tone with his dominant start before handing the ball to relievers Jason Adams, Jeremiah Estrada, and David Morgan. The trio retired the Cardinals in order through the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. Robert Suarez pitched the ninth, earning his 32nd save of the season.

San Diego’s Offense Comes Alive

Jake Cronenworth opened the scoring with a two-run homer—his ninth of the year—in the fourth inning. The Padres extended their lead in the seventh with a three-run triple by Jackson Merrill, making it 6-0. In the eighth, Ramon Laureano hit his first home run as a Padre, adding a solo shot to make it 7-0. Laureano had recently joined the team from the Baltimore Orioles before the trade deadline.

Cardinals Rally Late, But Fall Short

St. Louis struggled against San Diego's pitching staff, finally scoring in the ninth inning with bases-loaded singles from Nolan Gorman and Jordan Walker. Starter Andre Pallante (6-8) allowed two runs over five innings, while reliever Gordon Graceffo gave up four runs across two innings. Roddery Munoz also saw action out of the bullpen.

Key Moments and Stats

Ramon Laureano’s home run in the eighth was a significant moment, marking his first as a Padre in just his third game with the club. Dylan Cease matched his strikeout total from his previous outing, striking out nine as he had against the New York Mets on July 27.

What’s Next

The Padres will begin a new series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday. Arizona’s Brandon Pfaadt (10-7, 5.11 ERA) is scheduled to start, with San Diego yet to announce their pitcher.

The Cardinals head to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers. Sonny Gray (10-5, 4.38 ERA) is set to start for St. Louis, while Tyler Glasnow (1-1, 3.38 ERA) goes for the Dodgers.

In summary

The San Diego Padres topped the St. Louis Cardinals 7-3, powered by a strong outing from Dylan Cease and key hits from Jake Cronenworth, Jackson Merrill, and Ramon Laureano. Cease’s one-hit, nine-strikeout performance was backed up by a spotless bullpen effort. The Padres’ victory keeps them firmly in the NL playoff hunt as they look forward to a series against the Diamondbacks, while the Cardinals seek to bounce back in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.

MLB Schedules

Today's MLB Games

There are no baseball games today.

Tomorrow's MLB Games

There are no baseball games tomorrow.

Yesterday's MLB Games

There were no baseball games yesterday.