Andre Pallante was nearly unhittable for the first half of the game while the St. Louis Cardinals offense was just good enough to beat the San Diego Padres again at Busch Stadium Tuesday night.

One pre-game moment worth mentioning. JJ Wetherholt’s 5th grade teacher Mrs. Ingoldsby threw out the ceremonial first pitch to JJ. She was the teacher that famously shared Wetherholt’s grade school picture where he declared that he wanted to be a MLB player when he grew up. Spoiler Alert: that worked out well for the Cardinals. By the way, JJ Wetherholt had quite a night with 3 hits, a walk and a stolen base.

During the actual game, it didn’t take long before the Cardinals got on the scoreboard. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, Lars Nootbaar walked leading off. After Masyn Winn flied out to center, Jimmy Crooks grounded out to second, but Nootbaar advanced to second. With 2 outs, Blaze Jordan ripped a double to left-center scoring Nootbaar giving St. Louis an early 1-0 lead. Nathan Church followed that up with a single of his own scoring Jordan doubling the Cardinals lead to 2-0 after 2 innings.

Andre Pallante did not surrender a hit until the top of the 5th inning and even then, just barely. With two outs, Samad Taylor hit a ball up the middle that Pallante deflected before Masyn Winn made a barehanded grab and nearly threw out Taylor at first. The safe call was upheld after a challenge by manager Oli Marmol. Taylor then easily stole second after getting a huge jump that gave Ivan Herrera no chance. Ty France then singled to center scoring Taylor and giving San Diego their first run of the series cutting the Cardinals lead in half at 2-1 halfway through the game.

St. Louis would get the run back in the bottom of the 5th inning when Iván Herrera was hit by a pitch (again). Alec Burleson followed that with a single before Jordan Walker came within an eyelash of hitting a 3-run homer to deep center field, but his flyout did advance Herrera to third. Lars Nootbaar hit a sacrifice fly scoring Herrera upping the Cardinals lead to 3-1. They would need that run.

In the top of the 6th inning, San Diego would draw closer. Fernando Tatis Jr. singled to right with two outs. Jackson Merrill doubled Tatis in leaving St. Louis with a tiny 3-2 lead heading into the late innings. St. Louis threatened in the bottom of the 6th inning when JJ Wetherholt scorched a single up the middle and then stole second base. Iván Herrera was hit by a pitch (yes, AGAIN), but Alec Burleson’s laser shot down the right field line was unfortunately directly at Padres first baseman Ty France.

The Cardinals would attempt a 2-out rally in the bottom of the 7th inning also. After Jordan Walker grounded out and Lars Nootbaar struck out, Masyn Winn singled to center and Jimmy Crooks walked. That brought up Blaze Jordan who turned on an 80 mph changeup sending it down the 3rd base line which was unfortunately guarded by Manny Machado who made a great grab and threw out Jordan to end the St. Louis 7th. Dang.

Andre Pallante gave St. Louis 7 strong innings. His stat line for the night ended with 7 innings pitched, giving up only 4 hits and 2 earned runs while striking out 6 and walking no one. A really nice effort that got the Cardinals deep into the game before the bullpen would intervene.

Ryne Stanek was the designated St. Louis Cardinals 8th inning hall monitor. He did a fine job setting the Padres down in order. Honorable mention to the “Tarps Off” crew who chanted “Padres Suck” most of the top of the 8th inning. Second honorable mention to the Padres for proving them right.

The St. Louis Cardinals decided to send Riley O’Brien out to close out the Padres which gave many of us trepidation as we remember the beginning of a bad run for Riley that started in San Diego when he gave up a heartbreaking 2-out walkoff to Nick Castellanos. Riley fortunately allowed very little drama (other than a nervous 2-out walk to Manny Machado) to seal another St. Louis victory. More of this, please!

The St. Louis Cardinals wrap up their short homestand vs the San Diego Padres Wednesday afternoon as they try to sweep the series. Kyle Leahy will start for the Cardinals while the Padres don’t have a starter announced yet which may mean a bullpen game is planned. First pitch is scheduled for 1:15pm at Busch Stadium.

SAN DIEGO (KGTV)- For many Iranians, the World Cup is more than a sporting event. It’s about family, culture, and holding on to a sense of home during a time of tensions between Iran and the United States.

As Iran takes the field in the World Cup, the United States and Iran have reached a deal aimed at ending the war. But even as the conflict has stalled, fans like Reza Gharajedaghi say this is a moment that brings back memories.

“I left Iran when I was 10, right before the first World Cup in ’78 when I used to watch it with my dad,” Gharajedaghi said. “Now, with all that’s going on with the war, and the Iranian community is divided, some people support the team, some don’t.”

Gharajedaghi’s love for the game began as a child in Iran, and some of his most treasured memories involve watching matches with his father.

“We used to go to the games, but the best one was when I went to France in ’98, and my dad sponsored me to go to France, and Iran was playing the U.S., and I called my dad at halftime from a phone in France, and I said we’re up 1-0 and we ended up winning 2-1,” Gharajedaghi said.

His father is now 96 years old and living with dementia, but Gharajedaghi says he is grateful to be by his side as they root for Iran — and put politics to the side.

“Just to be able to be with him and uh watch Iran together after all these years, uh, 40, you know, 47 years is pretty amazing,” Gharajedaghi said.

While politics loom over the game, dozens of San Diegans headed to SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where Iran played, and vowed to protest the regime and the soccer team.

“We’re not going to cheer for anything that is associated with the regime, including this team. This team will be boycotted,” one protester said.

“All we want to do is just a peaceful protest and be the voice of real Iranian people, not the Islamic regime football team,” another protester said.

Meanwhile, dozens of others gathered to watch and celebrate Iran.

For Gharajedaghi, he will support the team no matter what.

“Win or lose, you know, it’s, it’s just, it’s just national pride,” Gharajedaghi said.

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