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With their focus on Friday, Cards close out regular season

ATLANTA • At some point this weekend, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny approached Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez about his planned approach for the series that, in the end, wouldn't mean nothing but prep work for the Cardinals.

They had clinched the division title.

They had clinched home-field advantage for the NL playoffs.

They had their 100 wins.

Matheny wanted to make sure that Gonzalez knew that they would try to maintain the integrity of the games but that the Cardinals' goal was to get guys ready for the playoffs and get guys rest before the playoffs.