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Gonzalez, Hudson help Atlanta sweep Arizona

Aug 21, 2011 - 9:15 PM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Alex Gonzalez's solo home run in the third inning was all the offense the Braves needed, as Tim Hudson tossed seven shutout innings in a 1-0 victory to complete a three-game sweep over the Diamondbacks.

Hudson (13-7) allowed just three hits and three walks while fanning seven to continue his dominance over Arizona. He is now 6-0 in eight career starts against the D-Backs.

Craig Kimbrel put the game-tying run on third in the ninth, but worked out of the jam to record his 39th save of the year. He is one save shy of Neftali Feliz's rookie record, which was set last season.

"Like I've been saying the whole time, if it wasn't for the team and the team wasn't playing good, I wouldn't have a chance to do it. It's as much a team thing as it is a personal thing," Kimbrel said about edging closer to the record.

Josh Collmenter (7-8) allowed one run on four hits through seven innings for the tough-luck loss. He walked three and struck out four in Arizona's fifth straight defeat.

After Kimbrel fanned Willie Bloomquist to start the ninth, he gave a free pass to Chris Young. Miguel Montero then slapped a base hit into center, moving Young to third with one out. But Kimbrel would not allow another batter to put a ball in play, fanning Paul Goldschmidt on a 99 mph fastball and getting Sean Burroughs to whiff on a low-and-inside slider to end the game.

Gonzalez led off the bottom of the third by sending a 1-1 curveball over the left-field wall for the game's lone run.

Arizona also failed to bring in a run with a man on third in the sixth inning when Kelly Johnson led off the frame with a triple into the right-field corner. After a Bloomquist groundout to short, Young hit a ball into foul territory towards the right side. Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman made a running, over-the-shoulder catch on the ball, and then turned and fired home as Johnson tagged up on the play. The ball easily beat Johnson to the plate, and Brian McCann laid down the tag for the inning-ending double play.

"Obviously we had a couple of chances to score some runs. The pitching did well for both teams. We just couldn't push that run or two across," said Goldschmidt. "It's a long season, so you have got to let these losses go. When you get a big win you have to get over those too. It's just the way the game is."

Atlanta had its own scoring chance in the sixth, loading the bases with one out on a Hudson walk, a Martin Prado double and an intentional walk to McCann. But Dan Uggla flied out to shallow center field and Freeman flied out to left to end the inning.

Game Notes

Young's stolen base in the first inning was the 100th of his career...Hudson has now pitched at least seven innings in nine straight starts...Hudson improved to 4-0 in day games this season...The Braves finished their 10-game homestand with a 7-3 record...It was Atlanta's 11th series sweep this season.