ST. LOUIS _ The Cardinals were out-homered by the New York Mets four to nothing Sunday at Busch Stadium. The percentages of the homerless team winning that game generally rank as slim and none.
But some key hitting and aggressive base running provided the Cardinals a big early lead and their bullpen held on for a 6-4 victory that was Dakota Hudson's first as a starter. Hudson worked five innings and gave up three home runs (and runs), one of which was a home run knocked over the wall by Dexter Fowler.
Jordan Hicks, the last of four Cardinals relievers, gained his sixth save in seven tries, freezing Juan Lagares with a 104 mph fastball to end the game.
But Fowler, Paul Goldschmidt, Kolten Wong and Marcell Ozujna all delivered key hits as the Cardinals scored three in the second, two in the third and one in the fourth and Yadier Molina, Wong and Ozuna all took extra bases in that time.
The Cardinals roughed up New York ace Noah Syndergaard for six runs and eight hits in the first four innings.
Syndergaard did get a home run, though when center fielder Fowler, attempting to make a leaping catch in the fourth, inadvertently ticked the ball over the wall.
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