With the bases loaded with no outs in a one-run game and Pittsburgh All-Star first baseman Josh Bell walking into the batter’s box, St. Louis Cardinals pitching coach Mike Maddux paid a visit to rookie Dakota Hudson and offered a reminder.
Relax, Maddux told the 24-year-old. You’re a groundball pitcher. Get a groundball and get on with it.
“That was pretty much how it was,” Hudson said. “I just went after him and tried to attack him the best I could.”
Hudson was OK with giving up one run but not two. He needn’t have worried. The way he’s dealing for the streaking Cardinals, it might be time to raise the bar.
Hudson struck out Bell on three pitches, then got Colin Moran to hit into an inning-ending double play to preserve the lead and help St. Louis hold on for a 4-3 victory on Tuesday night.
Paul Goldschmidt, who hit a go-ahead grand slam in the 10th inning on Monday, delivered a two-run drive to the left-field seats in the third inning off Chris Archer (3-7). José Martínez put St. Louis in front with a solo shot leading off the fifth , and the pitching did the rest as St. Louis moved to 9-3 since the All-Star break to close ground on the first-place Chicago Cubs in the quickly widening NL Central.
Today Adam Wainwright (6-7, 4.50 ERA)will get the start against Pittsburgh.