On Wednesday, Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda (4-3) labored through five and two-thirds innings, throwing 94 pitches and giving up nine hits. But the Yankees gave him early run support, including four runs in the third inning, and Kuroda earned his first win in a road start in 12 tries, dating to last season.

“I gave up a lot of hits,” Kuroda said, “but over all, I got the big outs, so it was O.K.”

The Yankees were again without Teixeira, who has inflammation in his surgically repaired right wrist. Kelly Johnson was his replacement for two games, but on Wednesday, Girardi turned to McCann, who is usually a catcher but who had played at first for the Yankees in three previous games as a substitute. McCann performed as well as could be expected, and he even had one nice scoop on a low throw from Johnson, who was playing at third.

“I felt a lot more comfortable than I thought I would,” McCann said. “Each inning I was glad balls weren’t hit to me.”

McCann never even played first base in the minor leagues.

“I told him he could take his shin guards with him,” Girardi said.

Midway through the game, the Cardinals played a video tribute to Derek Jeter, who has said he will retire after the season. Jeter came out of the dugout and waved his hat to the fans — what he thought was his first curtain call in a game in which he did not play.

“The fans in St. Louis are great,” he said. “I’m glad I had a chance to come back here.”

Could he return in October? Someone told Jeter that Molina, St. Louis’s catcher, said a Yankees-Cardinals matchup was his dream World Series. Jeter was fine with at least half of that setup.

“My dream World Series is against anybody,” he said.

INSIDE PITCH

Yankees reliever Shawn Kelley, who has been out with a back injury since May 7, was expected to throw a bullpen session Friday. ... Carlos Beltran was to hit off a tee Thursday at Yankee Stadium.