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Hudson propels Braves past Rockies

Aug 5, 2007 - 3:18 AM ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Once again, the Atlanta Braves turned to Tim Hudson to stop a losing streak.

Hudson continued his dominant second half, hurling seven shutout frames and driving in two runs and Willie Harris drove in two runs as well to lead the Braves to a 6-4 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.

After winning four straight, the Braves had struggled, dropping their next two contests entering Saturday's game. Once again, the Braves sent their 31-year old ace Hudson (12-5) to the hill in the hopes of stopping the slide.

Hudson, who is 9-2 in games following a loss coming into this one, delivered. The righthander scattered five hits, walked two and struck out seven in seven shutout frames to win his sixth consecutive decision.

"It's nice to go out there and win a ballgame, especially when there team is coming off a loss," Hudson said. "I take every start the same. My approach is the same. I try to go out there and win. But, it's always important to put and end to a losing streak, obviously."

It was the second consecutive impressive start for Hudson, who also tossed seven shutout frames in his last outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He has not allowed a run in 14 frames.

"Hudson was brilliant tonight," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "Almost all season, (he has been) to be honest with you. He started in spring training, throwing down in the zone, strike after strike, it's paid off."

"We ran into a blade with (Hudson) on the mound," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "Ask the rest of the guys who faced him the last 10 games."

Hudson, who is 4-0 with a microscopic 0.91 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break, hurled 64 of 100 pitches for strikes en route to improving to an astronomical 92-1 when he is staked to a three-run lead.

"If you can get a lot of runs early, it takes some pressure off," Hudson said.

The Alabama-native even helped out with the bat in the fifth, smashing a bases-loaded two out, two run single to center field to give Atlanta a 5-0 advantage.

"One-for-two and I got two RBIs," joked Hudson, who was passed over as a pinch hitter in Thursday's whacky 12-11, 14-inning loss to the Astros in favor of fellow starter Chuck James. "I'm a professional hitter. ... I'm trying to make an impression (on Cox). I don't know if he thinks I am too old (to pinch hit)."

The Rockies' best chance against Hudson came in the seventh. Hudson issued a one out walk to Todd Helton and loaded the bases on free passes to Ryan Spilborghs and Brad Hawpe. But the crafty Hudson induced rookie Troy Tulowitzki to ground into a double play to end the frame.

"We had a lot of double plays and great defense all night," Hudson said. "This game's never easy, but I have a lot of confidence in all my teammates."

Playing in front of thousands of alumni on Kennesaw State University Night at Turner Field, former KSU standout Harris, who was given a rare start in center field when Andruw Jones could not play after receiving a cortisone shot in his troublesome left elbow, led off the first with a triple. He was plated one batter later on a single by Kelly Johnson.

"I heard they were here tonight," Harris said of the large KSU contingent. "I'm just glad to go out and have a good game. I just try to go out there and put out a good performance."

Matt Diaz extended the lead with his seventh homer of the season off Colorado starter Ubaldo Jimenez (1-1) in the second and padded the advantage to 3-0 when he scored on Harris' groundout one frame later. Harris singled to give Atlanta a 6-0 lead in the fifth.

With Hudson out of the game, hot hitting Garrett Atkins smashed a grand slam off reliever Octavio Dotel in the eighth. It was the second grand slam of the season and fourth of the career of Atkins, who has driven in 18 runs in his last 11 games.

"I was just trying to hit it in the air and at least get a run in," Atkins said. "He kind of left it in the middle of the plate."

Rafael Soriano recorded the last two outs in the eighth and closer Bob Wickman closed the door in the ninth to collect his 18th save in 23 opportunities.

Jimenez allowed six runs and six hits, struck out seven and walked five in 4 2/3 innings for the Rockies, who lost for just the second time in seven games.