O’Neill’s HR sends Cards over bickering Padres

NATIONAL LEAGUE CARDINALS 3, PADRES 2

ST. LOUIS — With the San Diego Padres squabbling amongst themselves, the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to solidify their postseason position.

Tyler O’Neill hit a go-ahead, tworun home run in the eighth inning and the Cardinals came back to beat the Padres 3-2 Saturday night after San Diego stars Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. had a dugout dustup.

The Cardinals pulled two games ahead of Cincinnati for the second and final National League wild card, with San Diego and Philadelphia 21/ games behind.

Padres starter Yu Darvish dominated the Cardinals over seven innings, allowing three hits and striking out nine. He handed a 2-0 lead over to the bullpen, but reliever Emilio Pagan (4-2) couldn’t get through the eighth.

Tommy Edman scored Harrison Bader on a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1 before O’Neill drove his 28th home run of the season for a one-run lead. Giovanny Gallegos worked a perfect ninth inning for his ninth save.

“He’s had several moments like that where he’s hit a dramatic home run for us to go up late in a game,” Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright said about O’Neill. “He’s got a good approach. He knows his strengths. That’s what’s called growing up in the clubhouse right there.”

Machado shouted and cursed at Tatis during a dugout tirade in the fifth, telling the young star “it’s not about you” and “you go play baseball” after Tatis struck out looking in the inning. Tatis reacted angrily to the call by plate umpire Phil Cuzzi, and Manager Jayce Tingler was ejected when he came out of the dugout to argue.