Molina’s toughness behind plate gives Cards boost

ST. LOUIS — Reporters shouldn’t have wasted their time going to Cardinals star Yadier Molina’s locker to find out how he felt while catching Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Friday against the Cubs, his first game in nearly three weeks because of a torn ligament in his left thumb.

‘‘ Yes, very good. No problems,’’ Molina answered before the question was finished.

Yes, but how difficult was it catching with a protective splint on your left hand?

‘‘ No, no, no,’’ he said. ‘‘ Like I said, everything was good. So hopefully [ Saturday] it stays that way, too.’’

Maybe Molina wasn’t all that sore. But chances are he toughed out a huge game for the Cardinals, who need their heart, soul, pitch- caller and team leader behind the plate.

‘‘ You know, I’m so impressed with him,’’ manager Mike Matheny said. ‘‘ When he’s got that kind of energy and life, you can see it’s infectious when he gets behind the plate.

‘‘ He about knocked [ third baseman] Matt Carpenter over throwing what had tobe 96 [ mph] down to third base after that first strikeout.’’

Speculation that Molina was saving something when he took a called third strike his first time up — he started walking to the dugout before Cubs starter Jon Lester’s pitch hit catcher David Ross’ mitt— began to circulate early. Molina, batting seventh, flied to center and grounded to second his other times up.

‘‘ I thought his swings looked good,’’ Matheny said.

Molina probably felt the rust of not playing most at the plate. His value to the Cardinals, whose pitchers allowed no runs and three hits, was having him behind the plate.

‘‘ It’s big,’’ Cardinals right fielder Randal Grichuk said. ‘‘ Anytime you get Yadier back there, it’s huge. The things he does and brings to the team, you can’t even say them all.

‘‘ The way he moved behind the plate today, the way he and [ starter] John [ Lackey, 7„ scoreless innings] were just kind of working back and forth. And Yadi always has his eye on the field. . . . He is so valuable to our club in so many ways — ways that you can’t put numbers on. Today was an example of one of those days.’’

The big number for the Cardinals was one, as in a Game 1 victory in the best- of- five series.

‘‘ A Game 1 win, I mean, it is huge,’’ Molina said. ‘‘ We have to come back strong [ Saturday].’’