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Hudson goes for 15th win

Aug 20, 2007 - 8:50 PM Atlanta (65-59) at Cincinnati (54-69) 7:10 pm EDT

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Tim Hudson will look to become the National League's first 15-game winner when the Atlanta Braves visit the Cincinnati Reds on Monday in the opener of a four-game series.

Hudson has won his last eight decisions and the Braves are 10-0 when the righthander takes the mound during that stretch. The 32-year-old allowed three runs and eight hits with five strikeouts in Wednesday's 6-3 triumph over the San Francisco Giants.

It will be just his third career start against the Reds for Hudson, who last won more than 14 games in 2003, when he was a member of the Oakland Athletics.

Atlanta, which has lost three of its previous four contests, sits in third place in the NL East, 5 1/2 games behind the division-leading New York Mets. However, the Braves trail the San Diego Padres in the wild card by 1 1/2 games.

The Reds will send rookie Phil Dumatrait (0-1, 10.32) to the mound. The 26-year-old lefthander was tagged for five runs, five hits and four walks in an 11-9 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.

Cincinnati has won four of its last six games but still sit in fifth place in the NL Central standings.