Often in baseball, the box score doesn’t tell the whole story of a game.

Friday afternoon, for example, one of the biggest plays of the game looked like nothing in the box score.

The Cubs beat the Cardinals 6-3 behind an RBI single by Pete Crow-Armstrong, a 3-run homer from Christian Bethancourt, a solo blast from Michael Busch and a throwing error that plated Seiya Suzuki.

All big plays in the game, no doubt.

But Isaac Paredes’ strikeout to lead off the 2nd inning was about as big of a play as any of them.

[WATCH: Highlights of Cubs’ 6-3 win over Cardinals at Wrigley Field]

Paredes quickly got down 0-2 in the count against Cardinals starter Erick Fedde. After a ball, Paredes fouled the next 8 pitches off before ultimately striking out swinging.

He forced Fedde to throw 12 pitches to get the first out of the frame, taxing the veteran right-hander which led to immediate dividends for Paredes’ teammates.

The next batter, Nico Hoerner, singled. Dansby Swanson followed with an infield single then Crow-Armstrong and Bethancourt contributed their big hits. Later in the inning, Busch homered and just like that, the Cubs were up 5-0.

Fedde had to throw 41 pitches in that 2nd inning. It was the first time the Cubs scored at least 5 runs in an inning since July 4.

“You point to that a little bit – 8 straight foul balls,” Counsell said. “It didn’t end up in a basehit but I think anytime you have a 12-pitch at-bat, that’s an inning’s worth of pitches almost in a good inning.

“So it takes something out of the pitcher. There’s no question about it. And we made that hold up with some some good at bats after.”

Paredes finished the day 0-for-4 with 2 strikeouts but the Cubs got the win and his teammates and coaches recognized the impact he had on the game.

“You have that and then you have Dansby beating out a little dribbler,” Crow-Armstrong said. “Anytime you see somebody make an effort play like that or just an absolute grind of an at-bat, I don’t know what really happens, but it definitely adds a little confidence – in my personal experience.

“I think it just makes everything look a little better.”

The Cubs have won 3 straight games now as they try to make a push to rejoin the heat of the NL Wild-Card race.