ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals center fielder Harrison Bader was removed from Sunday's 6-4 win in the series finale against the Reds in the second inning after sustaining a mild hyperextension of his left knee.
Bader said his knee felt a little tight, but he will use the All-Star break to follow the athletic trainers' instructions for a swift recovery.
"I just slipped, caught myself in an awkward position and kind of looked like a newborn deer running to first," Bader said. "It happens."
Bader stumbled rounding first base after hitting a two-out single following William Fowler's homer off Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani. After passing first without touching the bag, Bader hit the deck and lunged toward the base.
"I just didn't really know what was going on," Bader said. "I felt some pain and I just didn't want to put any more pressure on something that might've been worse than what it actually was."

Tommy Pham, who pinch-ran and replaced Bader in center field, delivered a go-ahead two-run single to center in the fourth. The struggling Pham finished with a two-hit game.
"It's awesome. We needed that, it was the best thing ever," Bader said of Pham's hit. "It was huge for us."