CINCINNATI — As he prepared to catch Thursday’s start with Miles Mikolas, Andrew Knizner studied Cincinnati’s lineup, watched film, and scrutinized their swings all week, trying to overlay what he saw them do against other pitchers onto what he knew Mikolas could do to them.
Knizner visualized the game, the reaction to Mikolas’ pitches, and long about Wednesday had an inkling of this start was “going to go well, a really good game,” he said.
It would be the start Mikolas wanted.
It had to be because of what the Cardinals needed.
With three All-Stars in the dugout nowhere near their cleats and getting a day off from the middle of the lineup, the Cardinals’ most recent All-Star pitcher hoisted the team upon his shoulder and carried it to a series split in Cincinnati.