San Diego, CA -- (Sports Network) - Albert Pujols went 3-for-5 with a pair of solo home runs to lead the St. Louis Cardinals in a rout of the San Diego Padres, 8-2, in the opener of a three-game set.

Ryan Ludwick went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored, and missed the cycle by a triple, for the Cardinals, who have won three in a row. Yadier Molina, Todd Wellemeyer and Cesar Izturis added an RBI each in the win.

"It's real big to put some runs on the board," Ludwick said. "We've had a lot of close games."

Wellemeyer (5-1) took the win after he gave up just two runs on six hits in six frames. St. Louis' bullpen was perfect through three innings of relief.

Brian Giles and Khalil Greene each had two hits for the Padres, who have lost three in a row, 5-of-6 and are 5-13 over their last 18. Giles and Adrian Gonzalez accounted for the San Diego runs batted in.

Jake Peavy was supposed to take the hill for San Diego, but the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner is headed to the disabled list with a strained flexor muscle in his right arm. Wilfredo Ledezma (0-1) got the start instead and absorbed the loss after he was touched for four runs on five hits in just four innings on the hill.

"You always fear the worst, this time it wasn't," Padres manager Bud Black said of Peavy. "Jake is out two weeks, we don't know the other end of that timetable."

The Cardinals jumped on top in the first. Skip Schumaker led off with a single and stole second base. Three batters later, Ludwick launched his 12th homer of the year over the fence in left, and St. Louis was up 2-0.

The Padres got one back in the home first. Tadahito Iguchi worked a one-out walk, moved to third on Giles' single and crossed home plate when Gonzalez grounded out.

St. Louis tacked one on in the third. Pujols made contact on a two-out single, Ludwick and Troy Glaus followed with walks and Molina was hit by a pitch to drive in Pujols.

Izturis belted his first homer of the year in the fourth to put the Cards up 4-1.

Justin Germano took the mound for San Diego in the fifth and gave up a towering home run to Pujols. Ludwick and Glaus kept it going with back-to-back singles, but Molina grounded into a double play. Adam Kennedy was intentionally walked, putting runners at the corners. Wellemeyer then hit an RBI single, and the Cardinals were on top 6-1.

San Diego made it 6-2 in the bottom of the fifth. Paul McAnulty led off with a walk and moved to second when Jody Gerut grounded out. Giles then singled on a line drive to left to score McAnulty.

The Cardinals again made it a five-run game in the sixth. Brian Barton managed a single, stole second and held at third when Pujols grounded out. Ludwick then hit an RBI double to left field.

Pujols added another solo shot in the eighth to make it 8-2 in favor of the Cardinals.

Game Notes

On Monday at 2 p.m. (pt) there was a blast at the site of a Hilton Hotel being built near Petco Park. At least 13 construction workers were injured. Authorities said there were no indications the blast had been triggered deliberately, and there appeared to be no damage to the ball park.