Adam Wainwright rewards his manager’s confidence

3:21 AM ET

PHOENIX — If Adam Wainwright had a run of four starts in which he pitched poorly in June or July, it would have gotten spotty coverage at best. April results appear larger, like a hunter’s moon. They stand out on the horizon, no stars or planets to distract the eye.

So, nobody in the vicinity of the St. Louis Cardinals was unaware that their Opening Day starter went into Wednesday night with an 0-3 record and 7.25 ERA, least of all Wainwright and his manager, Mike Matheny.

With the game seemingly on the line in the sixth inning and good pinch-hitting choices such as Brandon Moss and Matt Adams at his disposal, Matheny let Wainwright hit with the bases loaded and his team trailing by two runs.

Even though Wainwright had hung a curveball that Brandon Drury drilled for a two-run home run and elevated a fastball that Paul Goldschmidt sent soaring into orbit, Matheny had seen something different from Wainwright on Wednesday. The last thing he wanted to do was send him out of the game with a bad taste in his mouth.

So, he set his jaw and let him hit. Matheny said there were voices surrounding him on the bench suggesting he go to a pinch hitter, but the manager had the final say.

“It wasn’t going anywhere, because he was hitting,” Matheny said. “I made up my mind before we even got to there.”

Adam Wainwright was getting the deserved regal treatment …

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