ST. LOUIS — While it wasn't an historic night at Busch Stadium, a win is still a win.
The Cardinals came up four outs short of the first combined no-hitter in franchise history, but still managed to finish off the Brewers for the 3-0 victory in the series opener.
Dakota Hudson was brilliant for the Cardinals on Monday, in one of the most impressive starts of his young career.
Hudson went 6 2/3 innings without allowing a hit, while also striking out seven and walking four. Cardinals manager Mike Shildt pulled Hudson in the seventh inning after 111 pitches.
Reliever Giovanny Gallegos finished off the seventh, and came out to start the eighth.
The eighth started with an error by shortstop Paul DeJong that sent a Brewer to first, Gallegos got two outs in a row and then allowed Milwaukee's first hit to Yasmani Grandal on a ground-rule double down the right field line.
The Cardinals were able to scrape away three runs off the Brewers, with two coming on some small ball in the fifth, and another coming on a solo home run from DeJong in the sixth.
DeJong's homer ended up in the "M" of Big Mac land in left field.
Andrew Miller finished off the one-hitter for the Cardinals, and sealed the shut out victory.
