San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Tim Hudson navigated through 5 2/3 frames despite little control of his pitches and rookie Jason Heyward drove in two runs, as Atlanta finished off a six-game West Coast road trip with a 6-2 victory over San Diego.
Hudson Continues Mastery Of Padres
Hudson (1-0) worked out of several jams due in large part to five walks along with six hits. He gave up just two sixth-inning runs to earn the victory. The Braves bullpen pitched 3 1/3 perfect frames to push Atlanta to the win, finishing off a 3-3 road trip.
Martin Prado, who is now hitting .459 in the early going, finished 2-for-5 with a solo home run, Yunel Escobar went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Chipper Jones crossed the plate twice.
Mat Latos (0-1) was hit with the loss, giving up three runs on six hits with a pair of walks and three strikeouts over 4 2/3 frames. Will Venable hit a solo shot and Everth Cabrera also drove in a run in defeat.
Prado continued his torrid start to the season with his first home run in the first, hitting the seventh pitch of the at-bat over the wall in left-center field.
The Braves added a run in the fourth thanks to a two-out rally. Escobar singled, stole second and scored on Heyward's two-bagger past Tony Gwynn in center. Brian McCann's third double of the season scored Jones in the fifth for a 3-0 lead.
Meanwhile, Hudson was working his way through the game unscathed. He loaded the bases in both the third and fourth frames, but Chase Headley hit a line drive to first base to end the third and Jerry Hairston Jr. flew out to right in the fourth.
Finally, the Padres got to the veteran Braves right-hander in the sixth. Venable hit a solo shot to right, then Matt Stairs drilled a pinch-hit double over Nate McLouth in center. Cabrera followed with a base hit to left that scored Stairs for a 3-2 game.
Atlanta added some much needed insurance courtesy of a three-spot in the eighth. Jones walked and stole second, but stayed there until Escobar came through with a two-out single off the glove of a diving Headley and into left. Heyward delivered again with a double the opposite way that one-hopped the wall in left-center and pinch-hitter Eric Hinske drove the lumbering first baseman home with a solid single to left.
Hudson improved to 4-0 lifetime versus the Padres...Atlanta is 8-4 at Petco park since the start of 2007...Latos didn't fare well despite entering the game with a 1.29 earned run average in two career starts versus Atlanta...Heyward has 12 RBI in the first nine games.
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