Two rain delays helped to keep the Atlanta Braves at bay, as the St Louis Cardinals rebounded and bided their time to post a 5-4 win Sunday, July 13 at Busch Stadium, preventing a sweep heading into the All-Star Break.

The Cardinals were aggressive on the basepaths, stealing second five times. Masyn Winn’s stolen bag in the second would turn into the game’s first run when he came home on a two-out single by Victor Scott II. The Braves replied in the next frame with a two-out RBI single of their own from Matt Olson. Two innings later, Atlanta would take the lead when Olson’s single to left field scored two runs. The game would be delayed for nearly three hours during Ronald Acuña Jr’s at-bat. When the game resumed, Gordon Graceffo took the mound to strike Acuña out.

The Cardinals again collected on a two-out hit, as Willson Contreras doubled to right field, tying the game as Scott and Alec Burleson scored. The Cardinals took the lead in the sixth with José Fermín’s first home run of the year, a two-run jack to left field. A fielding error by Graceffo allowed Michael Harris the Second to score, but a pair of strikeouts from Riley O’Brien and a successful save effort by Ryan Helsley closed out the game for the Cardinals.

Graceffo secured the win, coming out of the bullpen to pitch 1.2 innings and allow one run on one hit while striking out three. Sonny Gray was replaced after the first rain delay in the bottom of the third, having allowed one run on three hits but striking out five.

Heading into the mid-season break, the Cardinals are 51-46, third in the NL Central as they trail Chicago by 6.5 games and San Diego for the third wild card spot by a game and a half. When the season resumes Friday, the Cardinals will travel west to Arizona for a series against the Diamondbacks.