Atlanta Braves at St. Louis Cardinals

Sometimes, the stars don't have to save the day. Sometimes, all a team needs is for the players still trying to establish themselves to seize their moment. The Braves entered Sunday's first-half finale desperate for a win after two quiet offensive performances had put them on the verge of a sweep. It wasn't Matt Olson or Michael Harris II who carried them across the finish line. Instead, rookie right-hander JR Ritchie steadied the game, Brewer Hicklen delivered the biggest afternoon of his Major League career and Mauricio Dubón supplied the decisive swing -- or, perhaps more accurately, the decisive sprint -- in a gritty 4-3 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The win sent Atlanta into the All-Star break at 55-40, preserving its two-game lead atop the National League East and offering a much-needed reminder of the resilience that carried the club through the season's first half. "It felt close to a must-win," manager Walt Weiss admitted afterward. "People talk about must-wins, and I guess there's never a must-win unless it's Game 7. But it felt close to it. We needed to win this game, salvage one in this series and head into the break." The Braves didn't arrive at that victory conventionally. After opener Danny Young recorded just two outs before allowing the Cardinals to grab an early lead, Atlanta handed the ball to Ritchie earlier than expected. The 23-year-old never flinched. Making his 11th Major League appearance, Ritchie retired 13 of the first 15 batters he faced before Jordan Walker led off the sixth inning with the Cardinals' first hit against him. The rookie ultimately allowed one run over 4 1/3 innings, giving Atlanta exactly the length it needed. "I think I did a good job of getting ahead in the count," Ritchie said. "I didn't fall behind too many times. I was able to land all my pitches. Just staying aggressive and going right after guys was really good for me today." "We emptied the tank today," Weiss said. "The pitchers did a great job."