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Hudson, Uggla shine as Braves wallop Marlins

Jun 6, 2012 - 2:41 AM Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Tim Hudson pitched a shutout and the Atlanta offense roughed up Anibal Sanchez in an 11-0 win over the Miami Marlins in the opener of a three-game set.

Hudson (4-2) gave up five hits and struck out three, while walking three, en route to his 13th career whitewash. The right-hander knocked in two runs with a sacrifice fly in the seventh and an eighth-inning RBI single.

Dan Uggla, who hit the most home runs in Sun Life Stadium, hit his first two homers at Marlins Park. On the night, Uggla went 4-for-5 with five RBI and three runs scored. In addition to the homers, he also doubled in his first at- bat.

"It just so happened I caught a couple on the barrel," Uggla said.

"He's one of the best hitters in the game," Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said. "When he's hot, he can carry a ballclub. He's very powerful."

Andrelton Simmons, who made his major league debut last Saturday, went 3-for-5, picking up his first three RBI, a run and a triple on the night.

In addition to the Marlins' offensive struggles, Sanchez (3-4) struggled on the mound. He allowed seven runs in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five, but gave up eight hits.

"Our pitcher wasn't there today," Guillen said. "He left a lot of pitches up."

The Braves broke the game open with a four-run seventh inning. Already leading 3-0, Atlanta expanded its lead after Jason Heyward led off with a walk. Simmons followed with an RBI triple and scored on Hudson's sac fly. After back-to-back singles, Guillen pulled Sanchez for Dan Jennings, who walked Brian McCann and gave up a two-run single to Uggla.

Uggla helped start the scoring when he opened the second inning with a sinking line drive to left that Chris Coghlan misplayed, allowing Uggla to reach second. Uggla then scored on Heyward's ground out two batters later.

In the fourth, Uggla took advantage of a high breaking pitch by belting it over the left-field fence to double the Braves' lead. The home run started a rally, as the following three hitters singled, capped off with Simmons' first RBI, making the score 3-0.

The Braves put the game out of reach in the ninth inning with four more runs -- all with two outs. Uggla hit a two-run tape-measure shot off the sculpture in left-center field. Uggla's shot was once again followed with a rally, as the Braves strung together four straight singles, including one from Hudson, to make it 11-0.

Game Notes

Jose Reyes extended his hit streak to 15 games...In Major League Baseball's first All-Star update, Uggla is the leading vote-getter at second base...Sanchez has not defeated the Braves since May 25, 2010; since then, he is 0-6 with a 6.81 earned run average (37 innings, 28 earned runs)...Sanchez had allowed three-or-fewer runs in nine of his 10 starts coming into this start...Hudson has not allowed a home run in his last 44 innings pitched.