San Francisco — Twelve hours after recording his first win in three years, Mike Hampton remained ambulatory Wednesday. No strains or pulls, no soreness in his surgically scarred pitching elbow.

This was a victory for the oft-injured Braves left-hander, who felt good physically and also psychologically, like he'd contributed to the team for the first time in a long time.

Hampton pitched seven strong innings in an 11-4 win Tuesday night against the San Francisco Giants.

"I could walk around feeling a little better about myself," said Hampton, who gave up four hits, two runs and one walk and threw 90 pitches in his third start since returning from a 35-month absence for two elbow surgeries and multiple injuries.

"But not like, 'Rah-rah, I'm great,' " he said. "You can't do that. Because there's another team in five days trying to kick your butt."

That will be Sunday at Arizona, when Hampton (1-0) is scheduled to face Diamondbacks ace Brandon Webb (16-4). You can bet Hampton will dine at a Jack In The Box in Phoenix, after eating there both before and after his win Tuesday in San Francisco.

At this point, the 35-year-old pitcher isn't too proud to be superstitious.

Hampton finally notched his 139th career win, nine days shy of the third anniversary of his last previous one. He had throbbing pain in his left forearm in his next start after that Aug. 14, 2005, win, the beginning of his excruciating and tedious road through a cycle of injuries and rehab.

Teammates were pleased and relieved for Hampton. Through all his struggles and down time, he remained one of the most popular players in the clubhouse.

"He certainly didn't try to get hurt," second baseman Kelly Johnson said. "He's taken so much heat for his contract, which is ridiculous."

Hampton is in the final season of an eight-year, $121 million deal that he signed with Colorado, which sent him to the Braves after the 2002 season in a three-team trade with Florida.

The Braves were responsible for $48.5 million of it over six seasons, though a portion was covered by insurance while he was on the disabled list (the Braves refuse to say how much).

When someone joked that Hampton should negotiate a new contract after his win, he laughed and said, "I'm not going to go there yet."

He admitted he had doubts he'd ever pitch again. "With all the stuff I've been through, with all the health issues, you definitely start doubting a little bit," he said. "But I kept pushing and kept working to get to this point one day."

In addition to pitching seven crisp innings, Hampton hit an RBI double off the base of the center-field wall. He has two doubles and three RBIs in his past two starts.

Regarded as the game's best-hitting pitcher for years, he has a .243 career average with 21 doubles, five triples, 15 homers and 71 RBIs. But how does a pitcher maintain a hitting stroke during three years away?

"Just see it and swing at it," he said, then smiled. "We'll see the next start. If I can get a hit off that guy [Webb], I'm going to suggest I play every day. That guy's dirty."

But wouldn't Hampton playing every day possibly be multiple injuries waiting to happen?

"Yeah," he said, "I'd just need someone to tag and run for me. Didn't Babe Ruth do that?"