Gerardo Parra robs Cardinals fan of catch, kindly gives him different ball at end of inning

In case you hadn't noticed, things are a little tight in the NL Central at the moment. The Cardinals hold first place all to themselves, but as of Wednesday, the Pirates are 2 1/2 games back and the Brewers are within striking distance at four behind.

So, the atmosphere was a little tense in St. Louis where the Cards were hosting the Brewers on Tuesday night. Early on, Brewers left fielder Gerardo Parra ranged toward the wall to haul in a ball that was this close to becoming a souvenir for one lucky Cardinals fan.

After interacting with the fan during the inning, Parra recorded the final out and trotted back over to make up for swiping the earlier souvenir, you know, in the name of good baseball. 

The man's son was understandably delighted for his gift, which serves as proof that there's a place for kindness in baseball ... even when in the middle of a pennant race.