ST. LOUIS (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals kicked off one long weekend with another impressive performance by Dakota Hudson.
The rookie right-hander pitched a career-high 7 2/3 innings, and the Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 10-6 on Saturday in the opener of two straight days of doubleheaders.
Dexter Fowler and Yadier Molina homered as St. Louis won for the seventh time in eight games. Kolten Wong and Paul Goldschmidt each had two hits and two RBIs.
Hudson gave the Cardinals a lift after the series opener was postponed by rain, setting up doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday. The NL Central leaders and the Reds also play afternoon games Monday against different opponents.
"Just trying to attack," Hudson said. "We've got two doubleheaders coming up so trying to do as much as I could and get as deep into the game as I could. That was just part of my plan."
Hudson (14-6) settled down nicely after Eugenio Suárez hit a two-run homer in the first, stopping the right-hander's scoreless streak at 18 2/3 innings through his previous three starts.
He struck out a career-high eight and started 17 of his 30 batters with a strike.
"Him throwing first-pitch strikes is very important and to see him be in control and in control of the counts like that, there's a reason he was able to get into the eighth inning today," St. Louis manager Mike Shildt said.
While Hudson delivered for the Cardinals, Reds right-hander Trevor Bauer (10-12) pitched just four innings. He was charged with six runs and seven hits.
"It was a tough loss today," Reds manager David Bell said. "Obviously we have a few more to go this weekend so we just have to keep going."
Tucker Barnhart had two hits and three RBIs for Cincinnati, and Suárez finished with two hits.
After the Reds chased Hudson, Aristides Aquino singled in Joey Votto and Barnhart's three-run double off Giovanny Gallegos trimmed St. Louis' lead to 8-6.
With runners on the corners and two outs, Gallegos got Phillip Ervin to bounce into a fielder's choice.
Wong then made it 10-6 with a two-run double in the bottom half, and Carlos Martínez pitched a perfect ninth for St. Louis.
"Just not trying to do too much," said Wong, who reached four times and scored three runs. "That's kind of been my Achilles heel for the past couple of years. I get into a little groove and then I start trying to do too much. I gave up on that. I'm really happy with my base hits to left now. I accept that. I love that and I'm going for it."
Bauer, who was acquired in a July 31 trade, dropped his fourth consecutive start.
"I don't know," Bauer said. "That's the toughest part. If there's something that you can point to and try to fix at least you have hope to fix it. Right now we're just trying to figure out what it is going on. I've had the worst month of my career."
Suárez' 426-foot drive was his 14th first-inning home run of the season, extending his franchise record. It was No. 41 for Cincinnati, the most by any team in the opening frame since at least 1940.
But St. Louis responded with four in the bottom half, helped by an error on left fielder Josh VanMeter. Fowler connected in the second, and Molina went deep in the third to give St. Louis a 6-2 lead.
Fowler had three hits and scored twice. His first-inning single snapped a 0-for-8 skid.
"Get as many hits as you can, get on base as much as you can, just take good at-bats," Fowler said. "Try and go out, like I said before, get in the right situations and capitalize on them."
SEPTEMBER CALLUPS
The Cardinals recalled left-hander Génesis Cabrera as the 26th man for Saturday's doubleheader and will activate right-hander Daniel Ponce de Leon before his start in the nightcap of Sunday's doubleheader. Both will stay with the club.
St. Louis also announced outfielder Randy Arozarena, first baseman Rangel Ravelo, infielder Edmundo Sosa, right-hander Junior Fernandez, catcher Andrew Knizner, right-hander Mike Mayers will be called up from Triple-A Memphis. Fernandez, Knizner and Mayers will arrive Sunday, while Arozarena, Ravelo and Sosa will join the team Tuesday.
WORTH NOTING
Right-hander Sal Romano was recalled from Triple-A Louisville as the Reds' 26th man for the doubleheader.
TRAINING ROOM
Cardinals: OF Lane Thomas (right wrist fracture) was placed on the 10-day Injured list, and OF Tyler O'Neill (left wrist strain) was activated from the IL.
UP NEXT
Reds right-hander Sonny Gray (10-6, 2.92 ERA) starts Game 2 and seeks his fifth straight win. He faces Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha (6-6, 5.24 ERA), who has lasted five innings only once in his last five starts.
