Cardinals-Padres: St. Louis' Bats Come to Life, Prevent Sweep

All's not quiet on the western front: a Thursday afternoon victory in San Diego means more than just another tally in the win column for the St. Louis Cardinals. 

After two frustrating one-run losses at PETCO Park, the Cardinals beat the Padres 8-3, offering strong performances on the mound and (finally) at the plate ending what fans often call a "funk."

Filling in for injured Brad Penny, rookie right-hander P.J. Walters pitched five innings, allowing only four hits and no runs. 

Brendan Ryan, who entered the game with an embarrassingly low batting average, went 4-for-4 with a solo home run to left field.  The feat reminded Cardinals fans of the 2009 version of their shortstop, whose skills at the plate were often accredited to his stylish mustache.

Well, Cardinals fans, the mustache is back; and better yet, so is Albert Pujols.

In the fifth inning, Pujols hit a towering upper-deck home run off Padres starter Wade LeBlanc.  The Cardinals slugger had not hit a homer since May 14 against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Cardinals will fly to Chicago to play their rivals, the Chicago Cubs, in a weekend series to close out May. 

If the Cardinals can pitch and hit as well as they did against the Padres Thursday, their fans will recite the following about their teams' frustrating spring: "That was so last month."