By Janie McCauley
Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO ó Tim Hudson understood why he had to come out with the ninth inning so close to over, a single out the only thing keeping him from a complete game.
Still, that didnít make it any easier to actually leave.
Hudson outdueled Tim Lincecum and nearly pitched his first complete game this year, leadoff man Martin Prado drove in Atlantaís first three runs and the Braves beat San Francisco 5-2 on Saturday to secure just their third series win of the season.
ěItís pretty disappointing. Obviously to go out and get two outs in the ninth, you want to finish it,î Hudson said. ěMy pitch count got up there and I was laboring a little bit. But Iím not a guy who takes a lot of pride in complete games.î
Hudson (3-2) followed up Tommy Hansonís strong outing a night earlier with his own impressive performance in a matchup of two undersized, hard-throwing righties who share a first name.
Hudson allowed nine hits, struck out four and didnít walk a batter in an efficient, 112-pitch outing. Manager Fredi Gonzalez left Hudson in to start the ninth but he gave up Pat Burrellís leadoff double and a sacrifice fly to Miguel Tejada.
Lincecum (2-2) was tagged for five runs and six hits in 61/3 innings after he carried a no-hit bid into the eighth inning Monday at Colorado. The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner also walked a career-high six and struck out six, while allowing his most earned runs since also giving up five last Aug. 15 during a career-worst, five-start losing streak.
Brian McCann added a two-run single in the seventh off Javier Lopez to end an 0-for-10 drought and further back Hudson. This outing was reminiscent of the pitcherís dominant days across San Francisco Bay as a member of Oaklandís ěBig Threeî ó with Hudson still hitting 91 mph on the radar gun even at the end.
ěItís a lot of fun to come out and pitch in front of a packed crowd, against the defending champs and one of the best pitchers going right now,î Hudson said. ěItíll be nice to come in and go for the sweep.î
Atlantaís No. 3 starter had made it only six innings in his previous two outings. This time, he worked ahead and calmly got out of trouble when the Giants created chances.
While his only clean innings came in the first and sixth, he was helped by two double plays. Hudson had only thrown 72 pitches through six, 23 fewer than Lincecum.
ěHeís probably a little mad at me I took him out. We gave him an opportunity,î Gonzalez said. ěHuddy was outstanding.î
Craig Kimbrel retired pinch-hitter Buster Posey on a flyball to center for the final out for his sixth save.
Lincecum was handed only his third loss in nine career starts against Atlanta.
ěYou canít accept pretty good results when you walk six guys,î Lincecum said. ěItís almost like a guyís on every inning. Obviously youíre not helping yourself or your team with a back-against-the-wall kind of situation. Today was one of those situations where I did it to myself.î