Thought I’d jot down my notes as I watch Tim Hudson take on Mark Mulder for the first time.

I have a soccer game at 6:30, but Mulder works quickly, so I might be able to watch the whole game. Of course, that’s what I thought the other day, too.

4:35pm: Hudson vs. Eckstein. Seen that before. Eckstein singles to left, as Brian Jordan trapped it.

4:38: Larry Walker, bunt single. Huh?

4:39: Pujols chases a hard sinker in the dirt and strikes out.

4:42: Hudson leaves a couple of pitches up and over the plate, and Edmonds and Rolen hit them hard. 3-0 Cardinals.

4:46: Hudson is having a hard time finding the happy zone between hittable pitches up and pitches too low. The low pitches aren’t called strikes, and the high pitches are moving toward the center of the strike zone. This is what happens when Hudson has a bad game.4-0 Cardinals.

4:47: Hudson makes a diving catch on a squeeze bunt and turns it into a double play. Web gem.

4:50: Mulder gets Furcal to ground out on an 0-2 splitter. That’s what Good Mulder looks like.

4:53: Mulder leaves a pitch up, and Jordan hits a deep fly to center. That’s what Bad Mulder looks like.

4:55: Franco lines a fastball up the middle, just like Giles did. Where’s Mulder’s forkball?

5:00: Molina makes a bad pickoff throw, runners move to 2nd and 3rd. Mulder throws the forkball, but Jones won’t chase it. Mulder leaves a 3-2 pitch way up high, and Jones singles to left. Some pitchers duel this has turned out to be. 4-2 Cardinals.

5:02: Mulder at bat. Mulder grounds out 3-1 on a 1-1 changeup. Hudson smiles at Mulder as their paths cross near first base.

5:07: 1-2-3 inning for Hudson. Looks like he found the happy zone.

5:11: Hudson bats against Mulder. Hudson loses his bat into the stands striking out on an 86-mph changeup. That’s gotta be worth a lot of bragging points for Mulder.

5:27: Brian Jordan takes a slider down the middle and hits a two-run homer. Tie game, 4-4.

5:29: Fly out to center, then a walk. This is vintage Bad Mulder. Fly balls and walks are rarities for Good Mulder.

5:35: Hudson gets a strike called below the knees on Grudzielanek. Hudson will be impossible to hit if he gets that call the rest of the night.

5:36: Grudz gets an emergency-swing double down the line. Lucky shot.

5:39: Mulder up with 1 out and runner on third. Infield in. Hudson almost hit Mulder with the first pitch. Perhaps to see if he’s squeezing.

5:42: Hudson strikes Mulder out with two cutters on the inside corner. I guess they figure Mulder’s arms are so long, he’ll have trouble getting around on the inside pitches.

5:43: Giles makes a great play to stop a grounder from going into right field. Inning over.

5:48: Mulder gets two groundouts in a 1-2-3 inning. That looks more like it.

5:51: Albert Pujols goes oppo. 6-4 Cardinals. It wasn’t even that bad a pitch; it was right on the outside corner. Maybe it was a bit too high, but Pujols is just awesome.

6:02: Hudson breaks his bat and grounds out back to Mulder. If you can pitch inside, so can I.

6:06: Boy, it looks like Marcus Giles has Mulder’s number. Single up the middle drives in Furcal. 6-5 Cardinals.

6:07: Mulder gets a double-play ball to get out of the inning.

6:13: Molina bunts the runner to second ahead of Mulder. Unless you’re gonna pinch hit for Mulder, that’s crazy.

6:14: Mulder looks for that inside pitch, and pulls it foul.

6:15: Hudson pitches away, and Mulder hits a line drive to left, but it’s caught.

6:20: We got through five, 6-5 Cards. Gotta run…