Cards 4, Reds 2

Remember Thursday’s four-way tie for first place? Now, for the moment, there’s just one team in first — the Cardinals, after a very long 4-2 win over the Reds.

Of course, being in first on April 23 means little. But it was definitely nice to beat the Reds. More than nice, actually.

This game had so much to it — a surprise start by The Poet Miguel Batista (who threw all of six pitches in three minutes before heavy rains came), a two-plus hour rain delay, Ryan Theriot going 3 for 4, Albert driving him in twice, a homer by The Villain/Attention Whore himself, six innings pitched by Kyle McClellan (although he was in and out of some jams), some nice pitching by Eduardo Sanchez in the first crucial game situation he’s been in, and more good work and another save for Mitchell Boggs.

Look for more — and, yes, a poem for The Poet — later this morning.