The San Diego beat the St. Louis Cardinals 12-2 in their home finale. Juan Soto had a big day as well, hitting a 461-foot homer and driving in four runs.

Jose Azocar also homered for the Padres, who had nine extra-base hits in winning for the ninth time in 10 games. Their best stretch of the season is likely coming too late to avoid an embarrassing pratfall.

The Padres came into this season with World Series aspirations after reaching the NL Championship Series last fall but have been a major disappointment. They've been under .500 since May 12 despite having a payroll of around $250 million, the third-highest in the majors.

Xander Bogaerts doubled, tripled and scored twice for the Padres, who moved closer to elimination from the wild-card race after the Cubs and Diamondbacks both won.

Soto hit a three-run homer off lefty Drew Rom (1-4) in the first inning, his 33rd.

Soto added an RBI double in the fourth and finished a triple shy of the cycle. He was one of four players to score two runs.

Luis Campusano also had three hits. Eguy Rosario tripled and scored on Bogaerts' triple in the second and then hit a two-run double in the sixth. The Padres tied their season high with 18 hits.

Michael Wacha (13-4) held the Cardinals to two runs and six hits in seven innings while striking out six and walking one against his original team. His only big mistake was allowing Luken Baker's two-run homer in the seventh, his second.

Rom allowed eight runs, six earned, and 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Zack Thompson (5-7, 4.57 ERA) is scheduled to pitch Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series at Milwaukee, which will counter with RHP Adrian Houser (7-4, 4.35).