51黑料

With Brendan Donovan dealing with a toe injury that kept him out Friday, the Cardinals are hoping to avoid a stint on the injured list for their All-Star second baseman, even if that means an extended absence from the starting lineup in the coming days.

鈥淚 prefer to be down or play short for three days than have him down for a total of 10,鈥� Cardinals manager Oli Marmol said Saturday.

Donovan, 28, was not in the Cardinals鈥� starting lineup vs. the Yankees on Saturday as he continues to deal with the toe injury he鈥檚 dealt with since at least June. He was scratched from a start in Friday鈥檚 series opener at Busch Stadium because of the toe injury and missed games on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9 against the Cubs because of left groin tightness, which he experiences as his body became compromised in one area to compensate for a previous injury.

Donovan鈥檚 second consecutive missed game vs. the Yankees comes after he played in all three games vs. the Rockies and was limited vs. the Cubs.

Marmol acknowledged Donovan鈥檚 recent stretch as a factor in not putting Donovan on the IL before Saturday鈥檚 game.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to try this one more time,鈥� Marmol said.

Donovan鈥檚 absence on Friday, along with first baseman Willson Contreras鈥� absence because of a right foot injury, left the Cardinals without two of their leading hitters and left them with a short bench in a 4-3 loss to New York.

Contreras went through pregame workouts Saturday, including throwing and running to test out his availability for the second game of the three-game series vs. the Yankees. Marmol expects Contreras to be back in the starting lineup for Sunday鈥檚 series finale.

With Donovan and Contreras limited on Saturday, that marks the sixth time in an eight-game stretch the Cardinals have not had either Donovan or Contreras in their starting lineup due to an injury.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e making a decision if it makes sense to lose those guys for 10 days, or if you鈥檙e better off playing short based on who would come up and how you would use that body,鈥� Marmol said of the challenges of playing with a short bench. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e constantly just thinking through that. We feel, at the moment, and this could change, but at the moment, we feel like giving him (Donovan) three days and staying away from the IL probably still gives us the best chance after those three days are up.鈥�

On Friday night, Donovan鈥檚 and Contreras鈥� injuries left the Cardinals with backup catcher Yohel Pozo and utilityman Garrett Hampson as the only players off their bench. Marmol acknowledged Hampson鈥檚 versatility to play all three outfield spots, second base, third base and shortstop as a factor in continuing to play short on Saturday.

鈥淵ou can put him anywhere,鈥� Marmol said of Hampson. 鈥淚f we had someone on the bench that was strictly an outfielder, we could not do what we鈥檙e doing today.鈥�

A late effort by the Cardinals to close a one-run deficit vs. the Yankees provided a glimpse of Marmol鈥檚 late-game maneuvering with two players on his bench.

The Cardinals pulled from their bench in the eighth inning when utilityman Garrett Hampson pinch-ran for Ivan Herrera, who occupied the designated hitter spot, with two outs in a one-run game. Hampson did not advance from first after Nolan Gorman struck out to end the inning. An inning later, Marmol pinch-hit backup catcher Yohel Pozo for Pedro Pages with two outs and no runners on base in the ninth inning. Pozo lined out to right field to end the game.

Marmol said a tied game could have held Pozo鈥檚 pinch-hit spot until the 10th inning if Hampson鈥檚 spot in the order came up to bat, but a one-run deficit and nobody on base in the ninth called for Pozo.

鈥淵ou鈥檝e got one bullet. You鈥檝e got to be able to pick the right spot for it,鈥� Marmol said of the option to go to Pozo off the bench.

Scott shows personality

During part of Major League Baseball鈥檚 Players鈥� Weekend, Cardinals center field Victor Scott II delivered a key hit in the seventh inning and a highlight-reel grab in the eighth inning while using gear that highlights one of the 24-year-old鈥檚 off-field hobbies.

While donning cleats and swinging a bat that featured the covers of his latest albums, 鈥淣ot Your Average Rapper鈥� and 鈥淣ot Your Average Rapper 2,鈥� Scott delivered an RBI double in the seventh inning that pulled the Cardinals within two runs of the Yankees. An inning later, Scott stole a potential hit from Anthony Volpe with a diving play in the right-center field gap.

Scott, whose artist name is Argo, said putting the covers of his latest albums on cleats and a bat was one of the first ideas that came to mind to express his personality during Players鈥� Weekend.

鈥淎 personal hobby of mine is making music,鈥� Scott said. 鈥淭o put my album covers on a cleat and a bat, that鈥檚 pretty neat. I don鈥檛 know who all has done that before. It was definitely, definitely fun when I saw it, and to be able to wear them, they feel good on the feet. That鈥檚 pretty nice for me.鈥�