SAN DIEGO (AP) Burch Smith's first stint in the major leagues was a short one.

Smith failed to record an out in the second inning and the San Diego Padres lost 5-3 to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday night. The hard-throwing right-hander was sent down to Triple-A Tucson after the game, just 12 days after being promoted.

"I'm not happy about it because it feels like I could have performed much better," he said. "I understand the decision, and I'll go down and work hard to get better. I know I'm better than how I've pitched recently, and I'm not going to let this affect my confidence."