Young (9-4) was activated from the 15-day disabled list for a strained left side muscle before the start. He was fairly dominant until the Cardinals knocked him out in a four-run seventh when the first three runners reached base.

In six-plus innings, Young allowed four runs on three hits with five strikeouts and five walks, hiking his major league-leading ERA 20 points to 2.02.

Young had been 5-0 with a 1.02 ERA in his previous 11 starts since his last loss, also against the Cardinals on May 12 when he allowed five runs — one earned — in 5 1-3 innings of a 5-0 loss.

“I was a little rusty, but no problem,” Young said. “I didn’t feel like I pitched that poorly. It wasn’t my best, it wasn’t my worst.”

St. Louis didn’t have a runner in scoring position until a two-out rally in the fourth capped by Yadier Molina’s RBI single. Scott Rolen singled and Chris Duncan walked before Molina’s hit.

The Cardinals chased Young with none out in the seventh after two walks and a wild pitch on ball four to pinch hitter So Taguchi that allowed in a run.

Pineiro, acquired from the Red Sox for a minor league player to be named, made his second start for his new team and retired the side in order three of his seven innings. He struck out four and walked none.

Pineiro allowed four runs in five innings in his first start on Saturday, and said Molina, his catcher, gave him some advice before his home debut.

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“He told me from the beginning we were going to go out and have some fun, and we did that,” Pineiro said. “All around, I think it was a great win.”

La Russa batted the pitcher eighth for the sixth straight game in an effort to spark the World Series champions, who entered at 52-59. That ploy backfired in the fourth when Pineiro, batting after Molina’s RBI single, struck out with two men on for the third out in the fourth.

Notes: In a statistical oddity, the Cardinals took three of four despite scoring in only four innings. ... Adam Kennedy was hitless in four at-bats in the ninth spot for the Cardinals and is 2-for-22 against the Padres. ... Padres closer Trevor Hoffman was not used in the four-game series, remaining one save shy of a 12th career 30-save season that would extend his own record. ... Padres OF Scott Hairston strained his left side muscle while getting thrown out going for a double in the sixth, and is likely to land on the DL.

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