ST. LOUIS — The last game before the All-Star break is unique. No other game has the power to set a lingering taste for four consecutive days before the regular season resumes.
And for a team hovering on the line between adding and subtracting at the trade deadline July 30, the importance of the Cubs’ series finale Sunday against the Cardinals seemed to balloon after they dropped both games of a doubleheader Saturday.
That’s not how the players, who have an impressive ability to compartmentalize, would look at it. Nor front-office members, who are well-practiced in the emotions of following an up-and-down season to make calculated team-building decisions.
For those evaluating from an outside perspective, however, the game Sunday had the power to flip the narrative of the Cubs’ last road trip before the Midsummer Classic.
Then the Cubs hit six home runs — tied for the most in history at Busch Stadium by an opponent — and played standout defense in an 8-3 win Sunday against the Cardinals.
‘‘There’s a lot of momentum in this game both ways,’’ said left fielder Ian Happ, who hit one of those homers on a 2-for-4 day. ‘‘When you can be on the right side, but especially going into a break [and] coming back [from the break] at home [off] probably your best road trip all year, those things all add up.’’
That’s not to say that the Cubs (47-51) are guaranteed to add at the deadline. But even after playing poorly for two months, they enter the break only 3½ games out of the last National League wild-card spot.
‘‘We had a tough road trip in front of us seven days ago,’’ manager Craig Counsell said. ‘‘And we played really well on the road trip. . . . We’re going into [the break] in the way we wanted to go into it. We finished the job today.’’
With the victory, the Cubs earned a split of the series against the Cardinals and salvaged a 5-2 record on the trip, thanks to a series sweep of the American League East-leading Orioles.
‘‘I feel like we can play with anybody,’’ said right-hander Jameson Taillon, who limited the Cardinals to three runs in 5⅔ innings. ‘‘And it’s one thing to say it, [but] it’s another to go out and do it and show that we can go into Baltimore and play really well [and] play a complete game like today. . . . It’s a message to ourselves: We really can play with anybody, and now we have the second half to go out and do it.’’
The Cubs’ ‘‘complete’’ performance featured a strong start, an impressive defensive showing and contributions from all parts of the lineup.
While the rotation has been steady all season, ranking among the top 10 in the majors, the defense has had some sloppy showings and the offense has been unreliable much of the way so far.
As the Cubs have come out of their May-June rut, the change has been powered by the consistency of their Nos. 2-4 hitters: Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki and Happ.
That, in turn, has taken pressure off the bullpen, which has thrived in response.
More recently, contributions from the bottom of the order have brought out an even better version of the offense.
‘‘I think it’s mandatory,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘We’re not going to be a good offense unless we get production in all the spots in the lineup. . . . It’s going to be really important for the second half that that group contributes. And that’s how we’re going to put up consistent run totals every night.’’
Center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, who batted ninth Sunday, provided a perfect example in what Counsell called ‘‘his best day in the big leagues.’’
In addition to making two nice plays in the field, Crow-Armstrong golfed two inside breaking balls out of the park for the first multihomer game of his career. His second came after a homer by No. 8 hitter Tomas Nido.
‘‘I think we’ve been trending in the right direction for a long time,’’ Crow-Armstrong said, ‘‘but it’s fun when stuff starts coming together.’’
