SAN DIEGO (AP) — Cameron Maybin hit a two-run homer, Will Venable had three RBIs and the San Diego Padres handed the struggling St. Louis Cardinals an 11-3 loss on Monday night. The loss dropped the Cardinals 9 1-2 games behind first-place Cincinnati in the NL Central. St. Louis, which has lost four of five, had its lead cut to one game over the idle Los Angeles Dodgers for the second NL wild-card berth. Maybin connected for his seventh homer off Jaime Garcia (4-7) that broke a 2-all tie in the fourth inning. Maybin had three hits and scored three runs. Chris Denorfia tied his career high with four hits and also had two RBIs. Logan Forsythe added three hits to tie his career high as San Diego matched its season best for runs and had 17 hits.

Lance Berkman is scheduled for season-ending surgery on his troublesome right knee Tuesday, leaving the St. Louis Cardinals without a dangerous bat as they try to secure a playoff spot. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny announced the news Monday before his team played the San Diego Padres. The defending World Series champions began the night with a 1½-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the race for the second NL wild-card spot. Berkman, who had surgery on the same knee in May, traveled to Houston on Monday to meet with the medical team that performed the first operation. The same group of doctors will perform the surgery Tuesday (Today).