ST. LOUIS — Sunday was a day of reflection, emotion and accomplishment for the St. Louis Cardinals.
On the one-year anniversary of the major league debut of the late Oscar Taveras, who died October 25 in an auto accident in his native Dominican Republic, the team played a tribute video to him prior to the game which touched on many heartstrings.
Several Cardinal players stood near the foul line in right field to watch it, as did Los Angeles Dodgers Alberto Callaspo and Alex Guerrero. It was a moving moment, producing chills which had nothing to do with the 59-degree afternoon.
“I looked in our dugout and there were some tears,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said, “and you could see them in the stands as well.”
Once the game started, Taveras’ friend produced an outing drawn from equal parts emotion and skill. Carlos Martinez, wearing Taveras’ number 18, allowed only one hit in seven innings and fanned eight in a 3-1 win.
It brought the Cardinals’ record to an MLB-best 33-17 and served as further proof that this team simply knows how to win, no matter the circumstances it plays in or through from day to day.