Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Ernie Clement left in the ninth inning Wednesday against St. Louis after banging his knee in the eighth when he dove for a grounder.

Early Wednesday morning, Alan Roden raced wide-eyed around a corner outside the Blue Jays’ clubhouse and nearly crashed into Davis Schneider. “Is he here?!” The two looked like 6-year-olds about to meet their favorite player.

ST. LOUIS — Blue Jays manager John Schneider thought for a moment, staring forward as he exhaled in the tunnels under St. Louis’ Busch Stadium. Toronto had just won its fifth straight series, toppling the Cardinals before finishing the sweep on Wednesday. The manager was asked to think back: When was the last time his team had a stretch this good?

The Toronto Blue Jays should make a play for this Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher as they shape up to be buyers ahead of the trade deadline.

Cardinals starter Matthew Liberatore exited his Wednesday start vs. the Blue Jays feeling "better physically" after his early exit following velocity dips less than a week prior.

Indeed, it was. The Blue Jays swept the Cardinals, capped by a 5-2 win Wednesday afternoon. It marked the third time the Cardinals have been swept this season and dropped their record to 36-32.

A third consecutive win helped the Toronto Blue Jays improve to 12-2 over their last 14, good for one of the best stretches the franchise has had in the last 30 years.

Red Sox Trade Idea Sends Walker Buehler to Blue Jays originally appeared on Athlon Sports.