SAN DIEGO -- Stephen Piscotty has been in the major leagues only five weeks.

But the 24-year-old St. Louis Cardinals left fielder is hoping Saturday night at Petco Park will long be remembered as one of the worst games of his career.

Not only did he go 0-for-4, Piscotty struck out three times with a total of four runners in scoring position to end innings.

Piscotty, however, rebounded nicely Sunday, going 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs to lead the Cardinals to a 10-3 victory over the San Diego Padres as St. Louis successfully avoided being swept in a three-game series for the first time this season.

"That was a nice overall approach, especially after having the type of day he had yesterday," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of Piscotti. "Something that has stood about Stephen is how he does make adjustments and learns from what happened the previous day and tries to get ahead of it.

"Today is a great example of what he is able to do."

Here is what Piscotty did Sunday:

First inning -- He hit a two-run triple off Padres rookie right-handed starter Colin Rea (2-1) to cap a four-run inning.

Seventh inning -- He hit a 393-foot solo homer off right-handed reliever Odrisamer Despaigne to cap a three-run rally that put the game away.

Ninth inning -- He hit a 397-foot, two-run homer off Padres closer Craig Kimbrel to complete the first multi-home, five-homer game of his young career.

Piscotty wasn't the Cardinals lone contributor Sunday.

Right-handed starter Michael Wacha allowed one run on five hits and two walks with three strikeouts in six innings to improve to 15-5 while lowering his earned run average to 2.80. He is now tied for the National League lead in wins and ranks 10th in ERA.

Right fielder Jason Heyward was 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, a RBI and two runs scored. Heyward fouled out to third in the ninth when needing a home run for the cycle.

For the Padres, the loss snapped a five-game winning streak and was only their third in the last 12 games. Rea allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts while throwing 94 pitches over four innings in his third major league start.

After being guilty of some sloppy play in two losses to open the series, the Cardinals took advantage of several Padres miscues in the first inning Sunday to build a quick 4-0 lead.

Center fielder Tommy Pham, who is at his best against the Padres, drew a one-out walk and raced to third when Rea threw wildly on a pick-off attempt.

With Pham at third, Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta hit a soft liner over the bag that Padres third baseman Yangervis Solarte attempted to catch while getting to third for a possible inning-ending double play. But the ball skipped off the top of Solarte's glove for an error that allowed Pham to score and Peralta to reach base.

Heyward singled Peralta to third and stole second. Catcher Yadier Molina singled, scoring Peralta. And Piscotty followed with a two-run triple.

"I think the defensive miscues in the first made it tough for him," Padres manager Pat Murphy said of Rea. "He didn't have his best stuff. The errors made him vulnerable."

"I wasn't efficient today," said Rea. "I have to learn to get early contact to minimize pitches."

The Padres got on the board in the second on a single by first baseman Yonder Alonso, a walk to catcher Austin Hedges and a two-out RBI single by shortstop Clint Barmes.

St. Louis got their four-run lead back in the top of the fourth on a lead-off double by first baseman Mark Reynolds, a single by Wacha and a sacrifice fly by third baseman Matt Carpenter.

The Cardinals broke the game open with three runs in the seventh. Peralta was hit by a pitch from Despaigne and scored on a triple by Heyward. Molina plated Heyward with a sacrifice fly and Piscotty followed with his third homer.

NOTES: The Padres won the season series 4-3 and are the only National League team with a winning record against St. Louis this season. ... The Cardinals promoted INF Greg Garcia from Triple-A Memphis and started him at second base for the slumping INF Kolten Wong. Garcia, 26, is a native of San Diego County. His grandfather Dave Garcia is a former major league manager who began scouting in the San Diego area in the early 1960. ... To make room for Garcia on the 25-man roster, the Cardinals optioned LHP Tyler Lyons to Memphis. ... Padres C Derek Norris is day-to-day after being struck by a pitched ball just above his mitt Saturday night. Norris left the game but X-rays were negative. He was not scheduled to start Sunday. RHP Josh Johnson, who has been on the disabled list all season while rehabbing from 2014 Tommy John surgery, is scheduled to throw a simulated game on the Padres trip next week to Washington and Philadelphia. ... Padres LF Matt Kemp extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a two-run single in the ninth.