MLB Game Preview - Cincinnati at St. Louis

Sat Apr 27, 2019 2:15 PM EDT

Dakota Hudson is hoping his first big league win as a starter on April 21 is a springboard to more success.

"It's big," he said after lasting five innings in a 6-4 decision over the New York Mets. "Getting my confidence going a little bit. Getting everything together, but now I can say, 'Hey, I'm a starter. I got a win as a starter.'"

The St. Louis Cardinals' right-hander will try for a second win Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds, who looked nothing like a last-place team or a fatigued team Friday night in their 12-1 rout of St. Louis during the series opener.

After getting into town early Friday morning following a rain-delayed 4-2 home win Thursday night over Atlanta, Cincinnati tied a season high by belting five homers. It also got six shutout innings from right-hander Anthony DeSclafani.

The Cardinals are hoping that Hudson, a right-hander with a power sinker who's still refining his secondary pitches, can command the strike zone and figure out a way to get farther than five innings. Friday night's game started a stretch of 17 straight games without a day off, and St. Louis hasn't been able to get starters through six innings consistently.

Hudson (1-1, 5.89) showed his potential -- and his shortcomings -- against the Mets. While he ceded three solo homers, including one to pitcher Noah Syndergaard, he also worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the third with one out that kept New York from claiming the lead.

Like many of the inexperienced pitchers on the Cardinals' staff, he's leaning on perennial All-Star catcher Yadier Molina for guidance.

"He's helping me learn as I go, and that's a big key," Hudson said. "I feel like that's going to keep me going for it. I hung a couple of pitches -- still trying to keep the ball on the ground, still not there -- but I feel like I'm processing it pretty good, and moving in the right direction."

Of late, so are the Reds. Friday night's blowout was their sixth win in eight games, and married their improved starting pitching with the explosive offense everyone felt would be there.

While DeSclafani cooled an opponent that entered with a five-game winning streak and the National League's best record, Cincinnati cracked about 2,000 feet worth of homers. Eugenio Suarez, Jesse Winker, Joey Votto, Yasiel Puig and Jose Peraza each went yard to fuel a 14-hit attack.

Catcher Curt Casali also joined in on the fun by going 3 for 5 with four RBIs, including a three-run double that capped a six-run ninth inning.

Right-hander Tyler Mahle (0-2, 3.52) gets the start Saturday for the Reds, hoping to build on the last three innings he threw in a 4-3 loss Sunday at San Diego. After coughing up four runs in the third that lost him the game, Mahle bounced back to toss three zeroes and give Cincinnati a chance to rally.

"The only good thing to take away is that I didn't let it impact me and I settled in," Mahle said. "Still, that's two starts in a row letting the other team have a big inning. I know what I have to do to fix that."

Mahle is 1-1 with a 4.35 ERA in two career starts against St. Louis.

--Field Level Media