NORTH PORT, Fla. — The second inning of work proved both problematic and fertile ground for experiment for Cardinals starters Jack Flaherty and Dakota Hudson pitching in their last tandem outing of spring training.
Flaherty walked two batters and allowed a run in his second inning, and Hudson allowed two runs in his second inning Thursday at Atlanta's brand-new ballpark, CoolToday Park in Sarasota County. Dansby Swanson's tie-breaking double in the fifth inning off Hudson snapped the 1-1 knot and set the Braves to a 3-1 lead that they would hold for the next four innings.
The Cardinals scored once in the first inning with two outs and only threatened after that.