ST. LOUIS (AP) The St. Louis Cardinals swept a day-night doubleheader over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday. St. Louis (75-59) improved to 8-1 in its last nine games and moved 2 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.
Dakota Hudson pitched a career-high 7 2/3 innings, and the Cardinals beat the Reds 10-6 in the opener.
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.
Hudson (14-6) settled down nicely after Eugenio Suarez 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 first-pitch strike.
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.
Tucker Barnhart had two hits and three RBIs for Cincinnati, and Suarez 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 Martinez pitched a perfect ninth for St. Louis.
Bauer, who was acquired in a July 31 trade, dropped his fourth consecutive start.
Suarez’ 426-foot drive was his 14th first-inning home run of the season. 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.
Matt Carpenter and Harrison Bader hit run-scoring singles during St. Louis’ two-run ninth inning, and the Cardinals beat the Reds 3-2 in the nightcap.
Each of St. Louis’ four batters reached in the ninth. Tommy Edman singled and Yadier Molina was hit by a pitch from Raisel Iglesias (2-11) before Bader tied it at 2 with a single to left.
Kevin Gausman then came in, and Carpenter’s pinch-hit single drove in Molina for the dramatic victory.
Another day-night doubleheader is set for Sunday as Miles Mikolas starts the first game for St. Louis, and Cincinnati will go with Tyler Mahle. The first pitch is scheduled for 12:05. The broadcast begins at 11:10 with Ameren Total Access.
For the nightcap, Daniel Ponce de Leon will be on the mound for the Cardinals, and Luis Castillo will get the nod for the Reds. The first pitch is set for 6:05 with the broadcast starting at 5:10.
Both games can be heard on KTLO-AM.
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