ANAHEIM – Even as the Braves struggled mightily to score runs lately, their pitchers kept doing commendable work preventing runs. Until Friday, when back stiffness and aggressive Angels were Tim Hudson's undoing.
Hudson allowed six runs during the third inning in one of the worst starts of his career, while Ervin Santana fired a four-hitter in the Los Angeles Angels' 9-0 rout to open an interleague series at Angel Stadium.
Hudson (4-4) gave up eight runs, seven hits and three walks in 3-2/3 innings. He also hit three batters, including two consecutively to begin the fourth inning.
Manager Fredi Gonzalez said Hudson had back stiffness. The veteran right-hander wouldn't really elaborate or make excuses. His next start could be in jeopardy, though Hudson said he'll do all he can to make it.
"I mean, it is what it is," Hudson said of his lower-back condition. "Talk to everybody in here and everybody’s got a little something [healthwise] going on here and there. I don’t think it’s something that nobody else isn’t dealing with....
“It was an uphill battle from the start. I wasn’t making pitches, and it just wasn’t a very good night.”
Gonzalez said he didn't know if the stiff back caused Hudson's command issues.
"To tell you the truth, I’m not really worried about Huddy’s outing," he said. "He had one of those days. I’m a little more worried about our offense right now than I am about Huddy. I think we got four hits, and [Eric] Hinske got two of them. And I don’t think we got a runner in scoring position all night."
The Braves have lost three in a row and scored 14 runs in their past six games. They didn't advance a runner past first base against Santana, who pitched his 10th complete game and sixth shutout.
Hinske and Joe Mather had two hits apiece, and the Braves had no others.
Santana allowed four singles and no walks with seven strikeouts, and needed only 103 pitches (70 strikes) to record 27 outs.
"I’ve seen him when he’s been real good," Hinske said. "He’s above-average velocity, spotting his fastball really well tonight, and his slider was working reall well off of it.... Give him credit, he pitched really well tonight.”
Santana had been 1-3 with a 5.56 ERA and seven homers allowed in his past six starts, while Hudson was 2-1 with a 2.27 ERA in his past five before Friday.
On top of that, Hudson was up against an Anaheim team that had mustered just one run in its previous three games combined, and hadn’t scored more than four runs in any game during their 1-7 skid before Friday.
They vented some frustrations and raised Hudson's ERA by nearly a run, from 3.03 to 3.95.
The Angels batted around in the third, when they set their season-high for runs in an inning and gave the Braves their season high for runs allowed in an inning.
Three of four hits in the inning went for extra bases, including Bobby Abreu’s RBI double and Mark Trumbo’s three-run homer with two outs.
Gonzalez and trainer Jim Lovell went to check on Hudson during the two-run fourth inning, but returned to the dugout and left Hudson to continue.
"I’m not one to make excuses," Hudson said. "I’ve never been one to make excuses, and I’m not going to make excuses now. But it definitely wasn’t one of my better nights, that’s for sure.”
Eight runs were the most allowed by Hudson in 120 starts since July 29, 2006, when he was charged with 10 hits and nine runs in 5-2/3 innings of a loss against the New York Mets at Turner Field in his second season with the Braves.
Three hit batters matched his career high, which he previous did twice in 2004 with Oakland. The last Braves pitcher to hit three batters in a game was Chuck James in 2008.
After giving up six runs in the third inning, Hudson hit Peter Bourjos and Maicer Izturis with pitches to start the fourth. Both scored two outs later on Alberto Callaspo's single, and he was the last batter faced by Hudson.
Gonzalez and Hudson wouldn't come right out and say his back caused his command problems, but Eric Hinske, who had two of the Braves' four hits, said it seemed clear that something was wrong with Hudson.
“He was missing his spots all over," Hinske said. "He’s always hitting the corners, and tonight I think he hit three guys. That never happens for him. He’s our ace; he’s who we lean on. He had an off night.
"He’ll pitch again in five days, and I’m sure he’ll be right back where he needs to be.”
The eight runs were not the most Hudson ever allowed against the Angels. He gave up nine earned runs and 12 hits in 5-1/3 innings on July 21, 2000, in his third start against them. Friday was his 25th start against the Angels, but first since 2005.
“I think he struggled all night." Gonzalez said. "But really, like I said, I think that’s a blip on the radar. In the grand scheme of things, I’m a little more worried about us scoring runs.”
While the Angels broke out of their hitting slump in spectacular fashion, Braves bats stayed cold. For the second night in a row, Atlanta was limited to one hit through four innings and two hits through six. After losing 2-1 at Arizona on Thursday, they got wiped out by the Angels.
