The Cardinals had their full complement of late-game relievers to cement a victory with a score that should not have been that close in Game 1 of a doubleheader against Pittsburgh.
How they got to there proved just as valuable.
Rookie Matthew Liberatore, up from Class AAA Memphis for a one-game engagement, pitched five superb and scoreless innings to steer the Cardinals toward a 3-1 victory Tuesday afternoon at Busch Stadium. The line echoed Liberatore’s previous top start – five scoreless innings against Milwaukee – but within it there were clear signs of improvement. The lefty struck out five, got consistent swings and misses on three different pitches, and he remained efficient.