ST. LOUIS -- With just 17 steals in his 13 years in the Majors, Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta wasn't the most likely candidate to be the lead runner in a double steal with the game on the line.
But Peralta did just that Friday night against the Pirates. The steal in the seventh inning led to Peralta scoring the game-tying run and sent the game into extra innings, where the Cardinals won, 2-1, in the first game between two teams expecting to challenge for the National League Central crown.
Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said he went back and forth on whether to send Peralta, especially after Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli had thrown out two would-be basestealers earlier in the game.