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Chipper, Andruw Jones homer to support strong effort by Hudson

Apr 15, 2007 - 9:29 PM ATLANTA (Ticker) -- It appears Tim Hudson has overcome his worst season.

Hudson made his third outstanding start of the season, and Chipper and Andruw Jones homered in the same game for the 57th time as the Atlanta Braves posted an 8-4 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Brian McCann and Matt Diaz had two hits each for the Braves, who avoided their first three-game losing streak of the season.

After Hudson went 13-12 with a career-high 4.86 ERA last season in Atlanta, whispers were surfacing that Hudson, who entered this season with a .665 winning percentage - tied for 10th all-time - may have had his best years behind them. However, if his first three starts are any evidence, the 31-year-old has a lot of good baseball left in him.

"I can't ask for a better start to the season," Hudson said. "All three of my starts, our team won the ballgame. As a starting pitcher, that's what you're looking for."

The righthander improved to 2-0 with a 0.81 ERA in three starts, and he has allowed just 11 hits and two runs in 21 innings. Against the Marlins, Hudson yielded just a run and six hits with four walks and four strikeouts to improve to 5-0 in eight starts vs. the Marlins all-time.

"Let's say he's back," Chipper Jones said. "Last couple of year, he's had two or three starts all year where I was thinking that's the guy (we got from Oakland). Every time else was kind of mediocre. Through his first three starts, it's been the same type of feeling. This is the guy we signed."

Chipper Jones belted a three-run homer off Florida starter Scott Olsen in the third inning to provide a 5-1 lead. The lefthander lasted just four more batters before being replaced by rookie Rick Vanden Hurk.

"I got killed," Olsen said. "I just couldn't throw strikes. ... It was just a mental thing, I guess. I just have to focus more."

Chipper Jones led off the fifth with a walk and Andruw Jones belted his third homer of the season against Vanden Hurk to push the lead to 7-1. No active teammates have homered in the same game more than the Joneses, who rank seventh on the all-time list.

"We're just going out there and playing the game," Andruw Jones said. "We're lucky enough to stay on the same team for a number of years and are consistent for a number of years."

Atlanta is 51-6 in games when both Joneses homer.

"So much of the brunt of the offensive load sits on our shoulders," Chipper Jones said. "When we're on our game, we jump start the offense. I hope we do it 57 more times. That would be a record. Andruw's going to have to sign back (next year)."

Andrew Jones was wearing No. 42 to honor Jackie Robinson. Sunday marked the 60th anniversary of Robinson becoming the first black player in major league history and numerous players and entire teams around the league were wearing No. 42 to commemorate the event.

"It's a good feeling, it's an honor to Jackie Robinson and his family and what he did to get African Americans into the major league level," Andruw Jones said. "You have to give him an honor. If it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't be here right now."

Olsen (2-1) was charged with five runs and six hits in 2 2/3 innings. Atlanta rookie Peter Moylan yielded three runs in the ninth before Bob Wickman got the last two batters to end the contest.