MILWAUKEE _ Dakota Hudson never had allowed a homer in the major leagues until Saturday night. Granted, the Cardinals right-hander, still considered a rookie, had only 271/3 homerless innings coming into the game, but that covered 26 appearances out of the bullpen last year.
The Milwaukee Brewers, who had clouted five homers in the first two games of the series at enclosed Miller Park, where the ball takes on jackrabbit tendencies, broke Hudson's streak, emphatically.
Christian Yelich, the second hitter Hudson faced, hit his third homer in three games, representing a Brewers record at the start of the season, Travis Shaw and Mike Moustakas, two more left-handed hitters, both connected in the third as the Brewers held on for a 4-2 victory, their second in the first three games here.
Hudson fanned six in 41/3 innings in his first big league start. None of the Cardinals' starters in the series _ Miles Mikolas, Jack Flaherty and Hudson _ lasted past five innings and they gave up 12 earned runs in 132/3 innings. The bullpen again was spotless. Mike Mayers and Dominic Leone reeled off 32/3 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit.
In 111/3 innings in the series, the bullpen has given up just one run, allowed by free-agent acquisition Andrew Miller, who permitted a homer to Yelich on Friday.
Paul Goldschmidt singled in one run for the Cardinals, giving him six runs batted in over his last two nights. Kolten Wong, hitting .600 (6 for 10) had three hits, including a run-scoring double and a bunt single.
But Josh Hader slammed the door in the ninth, gaining his second save in the series by striking out the side on just nine pitches.
