As stifling as the Cincinnati Reds rookie pitching corps has been to the Cardinals in the last several series the teams have played, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny resorted to some moves in the seventh inning Tuesday night that he ordinarily might not have made.
Two of three key offensive decisions in the inning worked for Matheny and the Cardinals nudged a run across against Jefferson City, Mo., product Sam LeCure to take their first lead en route to a 3-1 victory on Matheny’s 45th birthday and cut their magic number for winning the National League Central Division title to eight.