Derick Hingle-USA Today Sports
Starting pitcher Tim Hudson had his first chance in Pittsburgh with the Atlanta Braves entering the game winning 11 of their last 12 games. That would be the night.
Hudson’s start didn’t go so well.
It looked all but certain in his second attempt with the Braves holding a 5-3 lead entering the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field — a place he has struggled. Then closer Craig Kimbrel blew the save, allowing his only earned runs so far in the 2013 season. Hudson would have to wait.
Perhaps, destiny has it in store for Hudson to pick up the milestone achievement in front of the hometown Atlanta crowd.
Hudson (2-1, 4.50) will give it his third shot at milestone win No. 200 in his career against the Washington Nationals at Turner Field on Tuesday night.
The Braves have won all four games with the Nationals in 2013, with Hudson picking up one of those wins. In arguably his best start of the season, Hudson went seven innings, allowing just one run on four hits in the Braves’ 3-1 win over the Nationals on April 13.
Hudson will need to pitch effectively against the middle of the order to repeat that performance earlier this month. Nationals’ outfielder Jayson Werth is 15-for-39 (.385) with three home runs in his career off Hudson. The 20-year-old phenom, Bryce Harper, is piping hot to begin 2013. He leads the National League with a 1.181 OPS and leads the Nationals in batting (.356), home runs (nine) and RBI (18).
It will be a tall task for Hudson to keep those two under control Tuesday night, but one he is certainly capable of doing.
Don’t believe me?
His 199 wins on his resume speak for itself.
