NEW YORK • With one out in the fourth inning and a runner at third base, the Cardinals employed a more dramatic shift than usual.
Pull-hitting Lucas Duda came to the plate in a scoreless game with Curtis Granderson at third base. A groundball would have scored Granderson. A fly ball to the outfield would have scored Granderson. So many things would have scored Granderson, and to counter that the Cardinals put a defense unlike many would use in that spot.
The Cardinals pulled the infield in to protect against the groundball RBI.
But they put three infielders on the right side of the infield.