The St. Louis Cardinals entered Wednesday 2½ games back in the National League Central, thanks in large part to a four-game winning streak.

That streak appeared in doubt Wednesday night in a game against the Kansas City Royals. The Cardinals trailed 5-4 in the sixth inning when this happened:

Yes, that is a kitten on the field. A kitten that seems intent on proving that he is not a kitten, but rather a grown cat -- one bold enough to go where few other cats have gone before, on a major-league field during a major league game. 

Anyway, once the cat was forcibly removed from the field by a groundskeeper -- who, for whatever it's worth, was repeatedly bit and scratched -- this happened:

Yup, that's a Yadier Molina grand slam to put the Cardinals ahead.

Coincidence? Yup. But if the Cardinals continue their winning ways and go on to win the Central, expect someone to mention the cat as the turning point -- because obviously.