Cards’ capper key in tight race for NL Central

They have won the World Series twice in the last decade and the pennant four times since 2004. They’re the only ballclub in the Major Leagues that has gone to the postseason the last five years.

You better believe the Cardinals haven’t lost their fastball.

Following the lead of Carlos Martinez, Trevor Rosenthal made that point loudly by striking out all three Cubs he faced early Wednesday evening, preserving a 5-3 victory.

This was a win the Cards badly needed, however.

They got it after the umpiring crew waited out a three-hour, 21-minute rain delay so the game could go nine innings rather than being stopped midway through the seventh. This counts as an extraordinary effort to complete an April game, and it could be viewed as a tip of the cap to the highly competitive National League Central.

What a great division this has become in the past year, with the Cubs doing more than just join the party. Since last August, when Chicago installed Addison Russell as its shortstop and elevated its game, the Cubs have become the team to beat in the division.

It figures to be as highly competitive in 2016 as it was last season, when three wins separated the top three teams, who also happened to be the winningest teams in the Majors. But if one of the three teams seems in danger of falling behind, the early evidence suggests that it’s the Cardinals.

They held off the Pirates and Cubs last season even though they were playing without their ace, Adam Wainwright. But before the win that was highlighted by Randal Grichuk’s robbery of an Anthony Rizzo homer, they had gone …

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