I spent a number of years with St. Louis and now I’m seeing it from the Cubs’ perspective for the first time, so I’ve got a little experience with it.

Geography is an important factor. It helps that the cities are so close together and both the teams and their fans can get back and forth in a minimal amount of time. The relatively short distance makes for a good weekend trip, which creates an amazing atmosphere.

In Chicago, it’s a festive atmosphere at Wrigley every game. That was evident as a visiting player and makes for a fun home crowd, too. There are tons of people out on the streets before the games and there are bands and music all night long. Once the game’s over, fans head back out on the streets and the baseball festival continues.

A new wrinkle to the rivalry comes this year with the new stadium in St. Louis, where we play a three-game series this weekend.

A lot of my big-league career was spent at Busch Stadium, and I live in the St. Louis area in the offseason, so yes, I’m sad to see the old stadium go. I have a lot of memories of that place. At the same time, you have to move on. The modern amenities new ballparks have to offer make it better for the players and fans.

I’m really just focused on helping the Cubs win a division title, but I have to concede that it would really be interesting if it came down to a race between the Cardinals and us this season. The rivalry is already intense at this time of year.

The important thing about the rivalry right now is that both franchises have strong clubs. It’s always better when neither club is struggling. You always want to beat someone at their best. It’s a better feeling because it’s more of an accomplishment.

Then, you just hope for good games and to come out on top.

After three different tours of duty with the Cardinals, including playing in 207 games with the Redbirds the last two years, John Mabry is now in his first year with Chicago. Although he’s only had more than 500 at-bats once, the left-hander has served as a valuable role player for 13 years with his ability to play the outfield or corner infield positions.

With the score tied 1-1, John Grabow (0-1) issued a two-out walk to Todd Walker. Salomon Torres replaced him and gave up an infield single to Aramis Ramirez. Murton then singled up the middle past a diving Jack Wilson to score Jerry Hairston Jr, who was running for Walker, from second.

The Pirates dropped to 1-13 on the road and 7-20 overall.

Bob Howry (2-0), the second of three Chicago pitchers, worked 2-3 of an inning for the win. Ryan Dempster pitched the ninth for his seventh save in as many chances. He extended his club record to 25 straight, dating to last season.

Cubs rookie starter Sean Marshall gave up just one hit in his first six innings, throwing 57 pitches in that span. The 6-foot-7 Marshall, trying to start 3-0, gave up one run and four hits in 7 1-3 innings, his longest outing of the season. He struck out five, walked one and threw 91 pitches.

Wilson and Jason Bay hit consecutive singles to lead off the seventh for the Pirates. Wilson moved to third by seemingly avoiding third baseman Ramirez’s tag on a grounder by Craig Wilson. Ramirez thought he tagged Jack Wilson with his glove and threw Bay out at second.

After arguments from Ramirez and Cubs manager Dusty Baker, Wilson then scored on a groundout from Joe Randa to tie the game at 1-1.

Marshall walked Ronny Paulino and Jose Castillo before striking out pinch-hitter Chris Duffy in the eighth. Marshall left a standing ovation.

Juan Pierre led off the Cubs’ first with a single, stole second and scored when Pirates starter Victor Santos committed a throwing error on Ronny Cedeno’s bunt.

Santos gave up five hits and one unearned run in seven innings. He struck out six, walked one and hit a batter.

Notes: Before the game the Cubs recalled LHP Rich Hill from Triple-A Iowa to take Glendon Rusch’s spot in the starting rotation. Rusch is 1-4 with an 8.46 ERA in five starts and will move to the bullpen. … The Cubs sent RHP David Aardsma to Triple-A Iowa. The reliever was 1-0 with a 10.50 ERA in four appearances. … Cedeno was thrown out stealing second in the first inning, after getting picked off first Sunday. … Santos went six innings in a 4-0 loss to St. Louis on April 19. … Frank Castillo in 1991 was the last Cub rookie starter to start 3-0. Castillo lost his next start.

Reds 6, Cardinals 1

At Cincinnati, Bronson Arroyo stayed unbeaten in Cincinnati by pitching a four-hitter for the second complete game of his career, and the Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals in a matchup of the NL’s top two teams.

Cincinnati set a club record with 17 victories in April and started a new month with the same winning formula — a lot of offense, a little dazzling pitching.

Rich Aurilia hit a solo homer and Felipe Lopez drove in three runs for Cincinnati. Every Reds starter except Arroyo had a hit off left-hander Mark Mulder (2-1), who was denied his 100th career win.

The biggest change in the Reds is the addition of Arroyo (5-0), who has dramatically improved a rotation that was the NL’s worst last season. The right-hander is the first Reds starter to win his first five decisions since Paul Wilson went 7-0 in 2004.

Arroyo extended the best start of his career by limiting the Cardinals to Juan Encarnacion’s solo homer, three other harmless hits and three walks. His only other complete game was for Pittsburgh on Oct. 2, 2001, against the Mets.

Arroyo also became the first Reds pitcher to go eight innings in three consecutive starts since Jose Rijo in 1994.

The victory left Cincinnati (18-8) in sole possession of first place in the NL Central, a game ahead of the defending champion Cardinals.

Arroyo did his best work against Albert Pujols, who had his way with the Reds during a three-homer game April 14 in St. Louis. Pujols leads the majors with 14 homers, a record for April.

This time, Pujols flied out twice, popped out and walked, leaving it up to the rest of the Cardinals’ lineup to prove itself. With their big hitter held in check, the Cardinals had no chance.

Arroyo has been the Reds’ best starter by far, making new general manager Wayne Krivsky’s first major move look good. Cincinnati got the right-hander from Boston for outfielder Wily Mo Pena on March 20.

Arroyo allowed only one hit in eight innings of a 5-0 victory in Washington on Wednesday. He extended his streak of scoreless innings to 16 before Encarnacion hit a solo homer into the upper deck in left field in the second inning, his second homer in two games.

Aurilia’s fifth homer barely cleared the right-field wall in the first inning and got the Reds’ offense rolling. Lopez’s two-out, run-scoring single put the Reds up 2-1 in the fifth and snapped the shortstop’s 0-for-17 slump. His bases-loaded single in the sixth off Josh Hancock completed a four-run rally that put the Reds in control.