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Cardinals 'send a message' to Padres in 7-4 first-game victory in wild-card series

A Cardinals offense that, at best, had been erratic this year, ambushed San Diego starter Chris Paddack and his fastball, putting up four runs in the first inning, two of them on a homer by Paul Goldschmidt, and two more in the third at San Diego on Wednesday. Then, when the offense stalled until the ninth, the Cardinals' bullpen and defense took over to preserve a 7-4 win over the Padres in Game 1 of the best-of-three National League wild-card series.

Adam Wainwright will start on Thursday at Petco Park as the Cardinals try to wrap up the series and then play either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Milwaukee Brewers in the division series next week in Arlington, Texas.