Despite the American League being without the services of pitchers Justin Verlander or Felix Hernandez, Rangers manager Ron Washington elected to not use Royals rookie setup guy Aaron Crow. Instead nine other pitchers were used including Oakland starter Gio Gonzalez for the eighth.  Crow said he was either battling strep or a sinus infection anyway, so perhaps it was better he did not pitch.

The Cardinals were well represented. Of course Lance Berkman and Matt Holliday were starters, but they were involved in a “strike ’em out, throw ’em out” double play. Berkman singled in his only appearance and took off for second in a hit and run situation with Holliday at the plate.

Holliday took strike three looking and Berkman would have been safe at second, but he slid off the base and a quick thinking Robinson Cano applied the tag.

Later in the game, Yadier Molina replaced Atlanta’s Brian McCann behind the plate and doubled in his only plate appearance off former Cardinal pitcher Chris Perez

Other notables. Former St. Louis third basemen Scott Rolen looked slow at the plate unable to catch up to any fastball, going 0 for 2 with two strikeouts. Perez, now a closer with Cleveland, pitched the sixth inning and allowed that Molina double while striking out one.