ST. LOUIS — 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. He carried the lead to the bullpen by getting 15 outs on 79 pitches.
