Baseball

New Braves closer fails new ace

ATLANTA - Tim Hudson made a great impression on the Atlanta fans.

Dan Kolb didn't.

The new Braves closer gave up three runs in the ninth inning, ruining a strong outing by Hudson and handing the Washington Nationals a 4-3 victory Tuesday night.

Brian Schneider hit a two-out, two-run double off Kolb, acquired from Milwaukee during the offseason to replace John Smoltz as point man in the bullpen.

"Obviously, you don't want to do it this early in the season," Kolb said. "For the fans and everyone else, you don't want to create a confidence problem."

Smoltz, who had 144 saves the past three years, moved back to the starting rotation and was joined by Hudson, picked up from Oakland in the Braves' other big offseason trade.

In his first regular-season start at Turner Field, Hudson showed why he has one of the best winning percentages in history. The right-hander pitched six-hit ball over eight innings, handing a 3-1 lead to Kolb.

"Obviously, you'd like to come out on top in these kind of games," Hudson said. "But that's how it goes sometimes."

He had other things on his mind anyway. Doctors plan to induce labor early today so his wife, Kim, can deliver the couple's first son, Kade Timothy. The couple has two daughters.

"She's been a trooper," Hudson said. "Maybe she can get through it quickly and I can come back over here to catch a few innings."

The Braves and Nationals close their series with an afternoon game.

DODGERS 9, GIANTS 8: Milton Bradley's two-run single off San Francisco closer Armando Benitez tied it in the ninth, and leftfielder Jason Ellison's error on the play let in the winning run for Los Angeles in its home opener.

The Giants led 8-5 entering the ninth, and Benitez retired leadoff batter Jason Phillips on a grounder to short. But pinch-hitter Ricky Ledee doubled and took third on Cesar Izturis' single. After pinch-hitter Jose Valentin popped to first, J.D. Drew walked to load the bases.

Jeff Kent drew another walk to force in a run, making it 8-6, and Bradley lined a 2-and-2 pitch to left. The ball got past Ellison and rolled to the wall, allowing Kent to score from first.

CARDINALS 5, REDS 1: Jason Marquis hit a bases-loaded triple and pitched into the seventh, leading host St. Louis.

Jim Edmonds and Reggie Sanders hit back-to-back homers in the sixth for the Cardinals, who rebounded after a day off from two blowout losses to the Phillies in which they gave up 23 runs. Edmonds' second homer of the season was the 1,500th hit of his career.

MARLINS 8, PHILLIES 2: A.J. Burnett pitched an eight-hitter and host Florida's fickle offense came alive against Randy Wolf, now 2-11 with a 5.76 ERA against the Marlins. The Marlins have outscored opponents 34-2 in their four wins and totaled six runs in four losses.

PIRATES 4, BREWERS 2: Mark Redman survived a shaky start and a line drive off his right kneecap, and Daryle Ward ended visiting Pittsburgh's homerless streak at 56 innings with a two-run blast that erased Milwaukee's 2-1 lead in the sixth.

D'BACKS 4, ROCKIES 2: Pinch-hitter Tony Clark hit a run-scoring double off the centerfield wall in the eighth and scored the go-ahead run on Royce Clayton's single, lifting host Arizona.

PADRES AT CUBS, PPD.: Rain caused Chicago ace Mark Prior to wait a day to make his season debut. The game was rescheduled as part of a doubleheader starting at 1:05 p.m. today. The Cubs' Kerry Wood faces Jake Peavy in the opener. Prior, just off the disabled list, faces Brian Lawrence in the second game.

[Last modified April 13, 2005, 01:31:06]