With an eye on Thursday's Europa League tie with Benfica, Reds boss Rafael Benitez opted to rest Javier Mascherano and Daniel Agger and bring in Yossi Benayoun and Sotiros Kyrgiakos.

BBC: Birmingham 1-1 Liverpool

Chavez also ushered in a new area of populist leaders including Rafael Correa in Ecuador, Evo Morales in Bolivia and Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua.

CNN: Making the poor count -- a Hugo Chavez legacy

Pete Kozma and Daniel Descalso homered later for the Cardinals, set to play the whole season without All-Star shortstop Rafael Furcal.

WSJ: Kozma and Descalso homer, Cardinals beat Yankees