The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Hudson carted off with injury, Braves top Mets
NEW YORK >> Tim Hudson took a shutout into the eighth inning before getting spiked at first base and carted off the field during the Atlanta Braves’ 8-2 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday night.
Evan Gattis, Dan Uggla and Andrelton Simmons all homered off an ineffective Jeremy Hefner to help the Braves’ bats break loose after scoring only four runs in their previous three games. But the nasty-looking injury to Hudson is a huge concern, leaving the NL East leaders without a veteran winner who was on a roll.
Hudson (8-7) was working on a four-hitter when Eric Young Jr. hit a grounder that was knocked down by Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman. Hudson took Freeman’s toss at the bag just before Young arrived, and the speedy outfielder stepped on the back of Hudson’s lower right leg, near his Achilles, driving the pitcher’s right ankle awkwardly into the ground.
Hudson immediately went down in obvious pain, and Young rushed over to check on him. The crowd at Citi Field groaned when the replay was shown on the big video board.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez and a trainer rushed out to aid Hudson, who took off his cap and held his shaved head in his hands. EMS workers finally strapped the right-hander to a backboard and drove him off the field on a cart as fans applauded.
Young remained nearby throughout the entire delay, which lasted almost 10 minutes, and shook Hudson’s hand before he was carted away. Hudson nodded back at him.
The 38-year-old Hudson won his fourth straight start, striking out nine in 7 2-3 in- nings. Luis Avilan replaced him and gave up a two-run double to Daniel Murphy, who made two errors at second base.
Hefner (4-8) compiled a 1.76 ERA in his final eight starts before the All-Star break, the best mark in the majors during that span. But he was tagged for a careerworst eight runs and 10 hits in two-plus innings last Friday against Philadelphia, a personal nemesis throughout his two-year career.
The right-hander wasn’t much better against Atlanta, allowing a career-high three homers in 4 1-3 innings. All of them were no-doubters, too.
Gattis hit a solo shot into the second deck in left field in the second inning, his first home run since June 10 in San Diego. Despite spending 24 games on the disabled list with a strained muscle on his right side, he leads major league rookies — by a wide margin — with 15 homers and 39 RBIs.