PITTSBURGH — Any adrenaline rush from the St. Louis Cardinals’ sixth win in eight games and their chance to sweep a second consecutive division series subsided swiftly in the seventh inning Saturday as Jordan Hicks tried to shake a sensation loose from his right arm.
The Cardinals have adopted an ultra-protective, ultra-conservative approach with their ultra-gifted righthanded reliever, so when he winced after delivering a 98-mph fastball the team’s trainer was at the mound almost as fast as the ball got back there. The Cardinals had an ample lead, added to it with help in the ninth, and would cement a 12-5 victory against the Pirates at PNC Park.
They awaited details on whether they also lost.
