ST. LOUIS -- As he was rounding the bases following his tiebreaking homer in Sunday afternoon’s sixth inning, Cardinals catcher Yohel Pozo not only had tears in his eyes but also thoughts of his son, Paul, and other ill kids at Mercy Children’s Hospital dancing in his mind.

Paul Pozo suffered a series of strokes after being born in March of 2020, and he walked and talked well ahead of when doctors ever thought he would do so. Paul’s painted handprint was on the 34-inch, 31-ounce maple bat used for Sunday’s homer, along with others from children fighting to get better at the nearby hospital.

Those kids playfully asked Pozo to hit them a homer during the catcher’s visit to the hospital last week , and his only promise was that he would give it everything he could against the Yankees. S

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