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Lincecum, Hudson set for duel in San Francisco

Apr 23, 2011 - 3:09 PM (Sports Network) - Two-time Cy Young Award recipient Tim Lincecum will make his fifth start of the season when the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants take on the Atlanta Braves this afternoon in the second test of a three-game series at AT&T Park.

Lincecum is 2-1 with a minuscule 1.67 earned run average in four starts and is unbeaten in his previous three outings (2-0). He last took the hill in Monday's 8-1 drubbing of the Rockies on the road, as the right-hander allowed the one run and three hits in 7 2/3 innings with 10 strikeouts.

San Francisco's ace will make his second start of the season at home and his ninth against Atlanta. Lincecum is 6-2 with a 2.89 earned run average in his previous eight meetings with the Braves, who roughed up rotation mate Madison Bumgarner in Friday's 4-1 win in the series opener. Bumgarner is 0-3 on the season and was done in by a four-run third inning.

Young Atlanta stars Jason Heyward and Freddie Freeman each had an RBI single and veteran Chipper Jones stroked a two-run double. Bumgarner allowed four runs, three of which were earned, and four hits in 2 2/3 innings. It matched the shortest outing in the young left-hander's career, but manager Bruce Bochy isn't concerned about Bumgarner quite yet.

"I'm not concerned about him," Bochy told the club's website. "He's had really good stuff. You have to remember where he's at. He's a young kid and he's probably pressing a little bit."

It seemed San Francisco's bats were pressing as well since it had only three hits. Pat Burrell was credited with the lone RBI when he plated Pablo Sandoval with two outs in the seventh on a ground out. Sandoval shook off a right triceps injury and also had one of the hits for the Giants, who have lost two straight and three of five since a four-game winning streak.

Heyward and Freeman ended with two hits apiece and Braves starter Tommy Hanson recorded the win with seven strong innings of one-run ball. Hanson fanned seven batters and issued only one walk. Jonny Venters tossed a perfect eighth inning and Craig Kimbrel notched his fifth save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

Atlanta entered the contest having lost two straight and four of five games, and improved to 2-3 on a 10-game road trip.

"You gotta take advantage of every single opportunity against that club because they come at you non-stop for nine innings," said Jones. "If you give them a break, they're going to capitalize on it."

Braves veteran Tim Hudson looks to end a personal two-game slide when he toes the Bay area rubber today. Hudson opened the 2011 campaign with consecutive wins, but lost to the Marlins and Dodgers in succession.

Hudson was last in action in Monday's 4-2 loss at Los Angeles, where he was reached for all four runs and six hits in six innings. Hudson has given up a total of nine earned runs over his past two trips to the mound and will face San Francisco for the 14th time in his career.

The right-hander is 5-4 with a 3.56 ERA in 13 career starts against the Giants.