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Hudson, Maine square off when Braves face Mets

Apr 26, 2008 - 1:33 PM Atlanta (12-11) at NY Mets (11-11) 1:10 pm EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) - The last thing the struggling New York Mets need to see is Tim Hudson.

The veteran righthander will be looking for his second win this season over the Mets when the Atlanta Braves visit Shea Stadium on Saturday.

New York - the overwhelming favorite to win the National League East this season - has been sluggish of late, dropping five of its last six games to fall back to .500.

The Braves took the series opener Friday, 6-3, battling back from a 3-1 deficit as Kelly Johnson drove in four runs with a double, a sacrifice fly and a two-run homer.

Jair Jurrjens allowed two hits in six solid frames and settled down nicely after walking in three runs in the third inning.

Hudson (3-1, 2.93 ERA), looking to clinch the three-game series, allowed 10 hits, but just one earned run in 6 2/3 innings Monday to pick up a win against Washington.

He has always been tough on the Mets, owning an 8-4 career record with a 3.68 ERA in 13 career starts. Hudson allowed three runs in six innings to pick up the win over New York on April 5, striking out four.

The Mets will counter with John Maine (1-2, 3.57), who has allowed two runs or less in each of his past three starts. But the righthander has just one win to show for his effort over that span as New York has failed to score more than five runs in any of his starts.

Atlanta pounded Maine on April 5, tagging the 26-year-old for four runs and eight hits in four frames.