WASHINGTON — When Tim Hudson entered the clubhouse Saturday morning, Braves backup catcher David Ross applauded, smiled and said, “He’s alive!”
Hudson was alive and well, but looked as if he hadn’t slept. For good reason.
The Braves pitcher left Friday’s game against Washington in the sixth inning after cramping from dehydration. He was taken to a hospital and received five bags of fluids intraveneously.
Hudson didn’t return to the team hotel until after 3 a.m.
Hudson was charged with three runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings and collected his 16th win. Four hits and two runs came in the sixth inning, when his hands were shaking and he had severe cramping beneath his right collarbone.
He’s had cramping issues from dehydration, particularly in his first couple of seasons with the Braves after spending six years with Oakland. A stricter game-day routine in recent seasons helped him control the situation.
Hudson, 36, said he neglected to follow the routine Friday because he thought there would be a long rain delay before the first pitch — the delay was only 14 minutes — and he had paid attention to the moderate temperature, but not the humidity.
“It was about 98 percent humidity, and it just got him,” Braves general manager Frank Wren said.
Hudson’s pregame routine usually includes a meal two hours before the game and intravenous fluids when conditions call for it. That’s most of the time for him, especially in Atlanta.
He didn’t have his meal early enough Saturday, and the next thing he knew, he was told it was time to get ready because the game was to start earlier than many expected.
“I just didn’t prepare for the game like I should have, as far as hydrating,” he said. “I thought we were going to have a long delay. ... Normally I get IVs before the game, but I looked at the weather and it was 72, and I said I don’t need ’em.”
Medlen activated
One day after announcing that reliever Peter Moylan had a torn rotator cuff and labrum, the Braves added bullpen reinforcement by activating right-hander Kris Medlen from the 60-day disabled list.
Medlen has been out all season recovering from ligament-transplant elbow surgery — aka “Tommy John” surgery — on Aug. 18, 2010. He was activated after making two one-inning appearances in the instructional league.
“It’s awesome,” reliever Jonny Venters said of adding Medlen. “He was so good before the surgery. To get him back is going to be huge. Anytime you can put a fresh arm in the bullpen late in the season, that’s good.”
Medlen, 25, has a 9-7 record and 3.90 ERA in 68 career games, including a 3.33 ERA in 50 relief appearances. He was 6-1 with a 3.67 ERA in his last 24 games (14 starts) before the injury.
His change-up makes him effective against left-handed batters. As a rookie in 2009, when he served primarily as a reliever, he had a .183 opponents’ average against lefty batters.
Gonzalez misses third start
Hot-hitting shortstop Alex Gonzalez missed his third consecutive start with a right calf strain that originally was expected to sideline him for only one game.
Manager Fredi Gonzalez didn’t want to risk bringing him back on the rain-soaked field Friday. When he was out of the lineup for Saturday afternoon’s game on a dry field, the manager said he wanted to be cautious and rest Gonzalez one more day.
The shortstop said his calf felt good Saturday morning. He went on the field and tested it by running, then fielding ground balls.
