DENVER — It didn't make the Braves' loss any easier to swallow, but Craig Kimbrel blowing a 5-3 lead in the ninth inning Wednesday at least meant Tim Hudson gets a chance to go for his 200th win in a home game Tuesday against the Nationals.
“Obviously I would have loved to have gotten it here,” Hudson said after the 12-inning, 6-5 loss Wednesday. “(Would’ve been) my first win here at this park; it’s taking a long time. But it’ll be nice to do it at home, obviously. Home crowd, chance to do it against one of our rivals, the Nationals.
“And my family will be able to be there and watch it. Hopefully it’ll be a good matchup again.”
Hudson is 15-5 with a 2.60 ERA in 27 career starts against the Nationals, including a 3-1 win on April 13 at Washington, when he allowed one run and four hits in seven innings of a duel with Stephen Strasburg.
At Coors Field, Hudson remained winless (0-2) with a 7.41 ERA in six starts. He gave up six hits, three runs and two walks with three strikeouts in six innings – his second quality start at the ballpark — and left with a 5-3 lead.
“I thought Huddy competed,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He gave us a great chance to win the ballgame, obviously. He left the game with a two-run lead. We didn’t add on (runs), which we have been doing the whole series. We didn’t add on and it cost us.”
With his next win, Hudson would join an illustrious group who got their 200th wins pitching for Atlanta: John Smoltz (2007), Tom Glavine (2000), Greg Maddux (1998) and Phil Niekro (1979). He would be the 110th major league pitcher with 200 wins and third active pitcher, with Andy Pettitte (247) and Roy Halladay (201).
Coors Field is one of three ballparks where Hudson has multiple losses without a win, along with Chicago’s U.S. Cellular Field (0-3, 10.45 ERA in four starts) and old Yankee Stadium (0-2, 4.97 ERA in six starts).
Conversely, Hudson is 5-0 with a 1.59 ERA in five home starts against the Rockies.
