Florida @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 27, 2010 ) Florida 1, Atlanta 2
Tim Hudson has been having his problems of late. Still, Atlanta Braves manager Bobby Cox is showing complete confidence in his ace.
Hudson will start on three days' rest on Tuesday as the Braves host the Florida Marlins in the middle contest of their three-game series at Turner Field.
A former Cy Young Award winner, Hudson cruised to a 15-5 record before hitting the skids in September. Over his last five starts, the veteran right-hander is 1-4 with a 6.10 ERA, allowing 21 earned runs in 31 innings.
On Friday, Hudson surrendered six runs, seven hits and six walks in 5 2/3 innings en route to an 8-3 loss at the Washington Nationals. However, Cox has elected to move Hudson up a day in order to have him available to start Sunday's regular-season finale against the NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies on regular rest in case Atlanta still is battling for the National League wild card.
The Braves halted a two-game losing streak at Turner Field and improved to a major league-best 53-23 at home with Monday's 11-inning, 2-1 victory over the Marlins. Brian McCann homered and Omar Infante hit a walk-off RBI single for Atlanta, which moved one-half game ahead of the San Diego Padres in the wild-card standings.
The Padres dropped a 1-0 decision to the Chicago Cubs on Monday.
In 18 career starts against the Marlins, Hudson has posted a 9-3 record and 2.91 ERA. He is 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA in three outings vs. Florida this year.
Dan Uggla is 14-for-40 (.350) with two home runs and seven RBIs against the 35-year-old Hudson, who has gone 10-5 with a 2.37 ERA in 16 home starts this year.
Florida, which has lost four of its last five games, will counter with Anibal Sanchez.
Sanchez has dropped two straight starts and three of four. On Thursday, he was touched for five runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings of an 8-3 loss at the Milwaukee Brewers.
The 26-year-old Sanchez owns a career mark of 4-6 with a 4.50 ERA in 12 outings against the Braves. This season, he is 1-1 with a 3.93 ERA in three meetings with Atlanta.
Sanchez has had trouble with McCann, who is 9-for-25 (.360) with a homer and eight RBIs vs. the right-hander.
In 16 starts on the road this year, Sanchez has gone 8-7 with a 4.38 ERA.
Monday's victory was costly for the Braves, who lost Martin Prado after five innings due to a hip pointer. Prado, who is hitting .307 with 15 homers, 66 RBIs and 100 runs scored, could be out for at least the remainder of the regular season and possibly some of the postseason should Atlanta qualify.