ST. LOUIS -- Although he promised her he would, Albert Almora Jr. wasn't able to hit a home run for his mother's birthday. Instead, the Chicago Cubs center fielder robbed someone else of one, helping preserve a one-run lead in his team's 2-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

It was the Cubs' first victory since Game 7 of the World Series, and in some ways, it was just as thrilling. That game they won with their bats; this one they earned with their gloves.

"It was all about defense tonight," manager Joe Maddon said postgame. "That's why we won the game."

It's important to understand something about these Cubs: Of all the things they did well in winning their first World Series in 108 years, defense was at the top of the list. The metrics said they were the best, and so did the eye test.

But they could be even better this season, thanks to Almora. As beloved as Dexter Fowler was before he moved to St. Louis, scouts have been claiming for years that Almora is a Gold Glove outfielder-in-waiting.

Albert Almora's seventh-inning catch helped the Cubs to their first victory in their title defense. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

"I love playing defense," he said at his locker, sporting a big smile. "I love helping my team. The moment of the night is when I came in, and Jake [Arrieta] gave me a big hug."

The hug came moments after Almora leapt at the center-field wall in the bottom of the seventh to snare a Matt Adams blast that looked destined to tie the game. Earlier in the evening, a Cardinals infielder unwittingly gave Almora a tip.

"Matt Carpenter and I were talking, and he said, 'You have to square it up to hit it out' in that area [at this time of year]," Almora said. "I took that to the field, and it worked out."

The temperature dropped throughout the night, so when Adams squared up the pitch from reliever Koji Uehara, Almora went to work. The ball died in his glove as he jumped at the wall. There are few in the game who have the first-step instincts Almora possesses.

"I saw Jim Edmonds before the game, and I said 'Almora reminds me of you,'" Maddon said. "Jimmy wasn't the fastest guy. Albert's not the fastest guy. They both ran great routes, and both had great instincts for the ball."

Almora might have made the play of the night, but he wasn't the only hero on defense -- far from it. Despite starting the season 0-for-9 at the plate, Kris Bryant was flawless at third base, and Gold Glove right fielder Jason Heyward made his own running catch. Not to be overshadowed, all-world defender Javier Baez made a diving stop on the final play of the game to cap a championship-caliber defensive night for the defending champions.

"It's just fun to watch everybody," Heyward said. "We all take pride in it ... I have a front-row seat from right field."

Pride in their defense might sound like a cliché, but the Cubs practice what they preach. Heyward is a pretty good authority on the subject, as the most decorated defender on the team. When he first got to camp with the Cubs last season, he immediately saw something special in Almora.

"Right away in spring training in 2016," Heyward said. "He's not thinking too much -- in a good way ... He'll run into the wall."

Almora added: "We love defense. We base our organization off defense."

The Cubs won a championship thanks to their defense and could go far again because of it. If Tuesday was any indication, their pitching staff will once again reap the benefits.

"Really great defense," winning pitcher Jake Arrieta said. "The catch to rob the homer was a game-saver. I owe Almora something for that."