Trevor Rosenthal steadies situation, helps Cardinals take 2-1 lead in World Series

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St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Trevor Rosenthal throws during the eighth inning of Game 3 of baseball's World Series against the Boston Red Sox Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) (The Associated Press)

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St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Randy Choate throws during the sixth inning of Game 3 of baseball's World Series against the Boston Red Sox Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) (The Associated Press)

ST. LOUIS – Instead of a five-out save, Trevor Rosenthal got a win. It's a trade anyone would make in the World Series.

A big reason the St. Louis Cardinals have a 2-1 series lead over the Boston Red Sox is the 23-year-old rookie pitched more than one inning as closer, and was plenty resilient. Rosenthal surrendered two inherited runs that tied it in the eighth inning, then retired the side in order in the ninth of St. Louis' strange 5-4 Game 3 victory Saturday night.

While some of the St. Louis rookies showed some vulnerability, others came up big.

Kolten Wong made a dazzling defensive stop in the eighth on Daniel Nava's hard grounder that he nearly turned into an inning-ending double play. Former 41st-round draft pick Kevin Siegrist worked a perfect inning.

Setup man Carlos Martinez recorded one out in the eighth, leaving Rosenthal in a tough bind.

Seth Maness gave up the tying single to Nava in the sixth before getting a double-play ball to stop it there.