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CINCINNATI — Even in the bullpen — perhaps especially in the bullpen — necessity becomes the mother of experimentation and sometimes revelation.

Attempting to avoid using two right-handed setup relievers, Kyle Leahy and Riley O’Brien, manager Oli Marmol had to navigate late innings in Friday night’s close game with relievers not often used in such high-leverage spots for the Cardinals this season. Jorge Alcala is still in his first month with Cardinals organization and was last seen pitching the eighth inning of a game the Cardinals trailed by five runs at the time. Yet, there he was in the sixth Friday, tasked with holding fast to a one-run lead.

“It’s one of those things where there’s higher ceiling than some others, so you want to continue to take a look at how he handles different layers of pressure and go from there,� Marmol said. “When we first got him, we knew we wanted to inch him into kind of seeing what he’s capable of in a scenario like (Friday). It’s leverage. But it’s still early. Depending on availability you can test it even further — in the seventh or eighth.�

And they will.

Alcala and Ryan Fernandez, a setup reliever a year ago, were thrust into pivotal moments of Friday’s 7-5 win against the Reds because the other right-handers were unavailable. Fernandez collected the save — the eighth different reliever to get a save this season for the Cardinals — for a scoreless 10th inning that included a strikeout. In this season of “runway� and opportunity for young homegrown players, they represent and highlight an alternate stream for talent collection. The Cardinals are fishing there too for future upside.

Fernandez was claimed out of Boston’s organization in the Rule 5 Draft in December 2023. Earlier this month, the Cardinals claimed Alcala off waivers from Boston. They’ve made a similar move to get O’Brien.

The stuff caught the Cardinals’ attention.

The openings on their roster gave them the opportunity to see if they could unlock it.

In his office Saturday, Marmol was asked if Alcala fit under the “runway� umbrella — auditioning now for a future spot with the Cardinals and not just a depth move to complete 2025.

“He has to,� Marmol said. “You look at teams in our division and outside of our division, and they’ve done a really nice job of getting players who aren’t homegrown and having them contribute at a super-high level. You have to do it all. You have to grow your own dudes. You have to bring some guys from the outside and still have them be really good for you. You have to be able to capitalize on all of it.�

Alcala flashed his power potential Friday.

Jordan Walker made a sliding catch on a line drive for the final out of Alcala’s scoreless inning. But the pitch that got the liner was a 99.1-mph fastball — the swiftest pitch in the game. Alcala mixed that with a curveball that topped out at 85.8 mph with a sharp break that averaged 41 inches. Two of the outs he collected were lineouts. That was partially because of his focus was throwing strikes to improve upon walk rates that have troubled outings with other teams. Of his 11 pitches, seven were strikes Friday.

“The most important thing for me right now is attack the strike zone,� Alcala said in Spanish. “I feel I’ve been doing that the right way. My plan right now, in my mind, is attack the strike zone and stay healthy.�

For his work Friday, Alcala received his third hold of the season and first with the Cardinals. Since being claimed off waivers on Aug. 7, Alcala has made seven appearances for the Cardinals. In 6 1/3 innings he’s struck out six, walked two, and allowed one run — on a homer. He has a 1.42 ERA, though before Friday he’d only pitched in one game when the Cardinals were leading. And that was when they had a five-run lead and another arm available before the inning went sideways.

Friday was a different kind of assignment and one that hints at future looks.

“He’s definitely got stuff,� Marmol said. “The velo, the breaking — they’re real. So, we’ll continue to take a peek at it.�

Prieto, Crooks debut in a pinch

Let the record show that Cesar Prieto arrived in the majors before his luggage did.

The Cardinals infielder, promoted from Class AAA Memphis on Friday afternoon, entered Friday night’s game as a pinch-hitter in the 10th inning to make his major-league debut. Jimmy Crooks, who was also promoted Friday, debuted at catcher, taking over behind the plate for the final two innings and the extra-inning win and save. His catching gear made it to Cincinnati along with him.

Somewhere between Oklahoma City, a stopover in Chicago, and his afternoon arrival in Cincinnati, Prieto’s luggage lagged behind him — arriving Saturday morning, he said.

Its absence was not on his mind as he returned to the hotel late Friday.

“A lot of emotions when I was walking back to the hotel,� Prieto said in Spanish as translated by bullpen catcher Kleininger Teran. “All that went through my mind was all the process I went through to make it and finally that I made it. I was feeling really happy.�

Prieto and Crooks are expected to start Sunday’s series finale.

A native of Simpatia in Cienfuegos, Cuba, Prieto defected in 2021 by sprinting away from Cuba’s National Team as his teammates entered a Florida hotel and making to an awaiting car. He signed with the Orioles and was traded to the Cardinals in July 2023.

“When I made a decision to come to this country, I was really committed to play in the big leagues,� Prieto said Saturday afternoon. “That was the first thing that went through my mind.�

Scott & Springfield’s record pursuit

Center fielder Victor Scott II began his weekend rehab assignment Friday night with the Cardinals’ affiliate that is chasing a franchise record.

Scott started in center field and hit second for the Class AA Springfield Cardinals, and he went 0 for 3 with a strikeout. He was expected to be back in the lineup Saturday night at Hammons Field as he prepares for a possible return to the majors in the coming week.

While in Springfield, Scott was part of Friday night’s 5-4 walk-off win in the 11th inning and one more stride toward an S-Cards milestone. Already a first-half division winner in the Texas League and guaranteed a berth in the upcoming playoffs, the Cardinals’ Double-A team is nearing a franchise record for wins. The victory Friday was the S-Cards’ 77th of the season, three shy of the club’s highest win total in its 21 seasons.

At 77-47, the S-Cards are 10 games better than any other team in the Texas League, and they have a two-game lead for the second-half division title.

Extra bases

The extra-inning victory Friday against the Reds was Marmol’s 314th win as manager in St. Louis. … Garrett Hampson scored the eventual winning run in Friday night’s 7-5 victory and di so as a pinch-runner. Hampson leads the majors with eight runs scored as a pinch-runner this summer. … Shortstop Masyn Winn’s three-RBI night Friday also made him the first Cardinal this season with at least three hits with runners in scoring position in the same game.