ANAHEIM -- A day after Tim Hudson had back stiffness in one of the worst starts of his major league career, manager Fredi Gonzalez said it was too soon to know if the veteran pitcher would be able to make his next scheduled start Wednesday in Pittsburgh.
Hudson allowed eight runs, seven hits and three walks in 3-2/3 innings of Friday night’s 9-0 loss to the Angels, the first time in his career that he allowed as many as eight earned runs in fewer than five innings. He also hit three batters to match a career high, and his ERA rose by nearly a run, from 3.03 to 3.95.
Gonzalez said afterward that Hudson had lower-back tightness during the game. Hudson later confirmed that, but wouldn’t elaborate or use it as an excuse. He said he would do everything he could before Wednesday to try to make the start.
When asked how Hudson felt Saturday, Gonzalez said, “Just OK. It’s not even 24 hours removed. So we’ll see.”
Gonzalez said the Braves would likely turn to a spot starter if Hudson can't pitch Wednesday, rather than have Tommy Hanson come back on short rest after his Saturday night start.
“If he we don’t want him to make that start, or he can’t make it, I don’t see anybody [going on short rest],” Gonzalez said.
Since Hudson’s one-hit shutout May 4 against Milwaukee, he’s 0-2 with a 7.47 ERA in his past three starts. He’s been charged with 18 hits, 13 earned runs and four homers in 15-2/3 innings, with more walks (10) than strikeouts (eight).
In his first seven starts through the one-hitter, he had a 2.86 ERA and .219 opponents’ average, with only one homer, eight walks and 26 strikeouts in 50-1/3 innings.
More lineup shuffling
After Gonzalez shuffled the lineup Friday, the Braves managed just four singles and no walks in nine innings against Ervin Santana, who threw a shutout after coming in with a 1-4 record and 4.85 ERA.
In response, Gonzalez shuffled things again on Saturday night, moving Nate McLouth from the bottom of the lineup to the leadoff position and Martin Prado from leadoff to No. 2. Prado batted leadoff in all 47 games before Saturday.
“[IWe've] got to shuffle it around and score some runs somehow,” said McLouth, who wasn't successful for long in previous stints as the Braves’ leadoff man.
“Just trying something different,” Gonzalez said. “That’s where he was going to hit, where the original plan was when we first traded for him two years ago. And he’s done it before. ... He’s had some good at-bats in the eighth and ninth hole.”
The Braves hit .234 and barely averaged three runs while going 6-7 in their past 13 games before Saturday. They had scored only five runs in the first three games of the seven-game trip, and lost all of them.
McLouth was 0-for-9 on the road trip before Saturday.
“As have a lot of people, I’ve been hitting a lot of balls hard at people this past week,” McLouth said. “Been feeling good at the plate. I’m not going to change anything [batting leadoff]. I’m going to just go in with the same mentality.”
Chipper Jones moved back to the No. 3 position and Brian McCann to cleanup, after those two swapped spots Friday.
