KANSAS CITY – The Cardinals broke loose against Royals right-hander Brad Keller and turned a no-hit bid into another shutout win at Kauffman Stadium.\n\nAfter being no-hit by Keller for six innings Wednesday night, the Cardinals came alive in the seventh behind
Hudson (11-6) suspected the Cardinals would get to Keller, who also had been strong against them in a May start at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals didn’t give him any support until Ozuna led off the seventh with a sharp single to left -- the first of six straight singles for the team. Carpenter’s RBI single up the middle broke a scoreless tie, and the Cardinals scored five runs in the seventh.\n\n“Ozuna got the first hit and drew blood a little bit, and I think everybody in our lineup sensed it,” Hudson said. “I just knew that if I kept throwing as many innings as possible, and putting up as many zeroes as possible, that eventually our hitters would come through. And they did.”\n\nHaving players like Hudson and Carpenter firing on more cylinders is just what the Cardinals need in the final six weeks of the season to stay in first place in the National League Central. St. Louis leads the Cubs by one percentage point after Chicago fell 11-1 to Philadelphia.
“We’ve gone on streaks before, but it’s all about keeping it going as long as possible and cutting out the bad times,” Hudson said. “I feel like we’re getting started on playing good baseball.”\n\nCarpenter, who came in slashing .218/.323/.370 amid injuries, said he considered bunting runners into scoring position after Ozuna and
Rookie outfielder