Atlanta, GA – Tim Hudson spun 7 1/3 strong innings and Freddie Freeman finished 3-for-5 with a solo homer and three RBI to help the Atlanta Braves down the New York Mets, 9-4, in the finale of a rain-shortened two-game set at Turner Field.
Fresh off his 200th career victory, Hudson (4-1) struck out seven and allowed just three runs on five hits and one walk to earn his second straight win.
"That's a good sign for us," Atlanta outfielder Reed Johnson said of Hudson's strong start. "This game is about starting pitching. Any time we can get those guys deep into the game, it's going to be huge for us."
Johnson collected two hits and knocked in three runs, while Justin Upton added an RBI and two runs scored for the Braves, who had dropped three straight that included a 7-5 extra-inning setback in Friday's series opener.
David Wright clubbed a two-run homer and scored twice for the Mets, while Lucas Duda and Justin Turner added an RBI apiece in the setback, New York's seventh in its last nine games.
Jon Niese (2-3) was tagged for seven runs on seven hits and six walks over four-plus frames to absorb the loss.
"Today was one of those outings that I just want to forget about," Niese admitted. "I walked way too many guys. It's embarrassing. I've just got to learn from it."
The Braves broke through in a big way in the third, scoring five times in the frame to give Hudson some early support.
Andrelton Simmons started the rally with a one-out double and Chris Johnson followed with a four-pitch walk. Upton then punched a single to right to score Simmons before Freeman launched a double to left to plate Chris Johnson and Upton for a 3-0 lead.
Freeman moved to third on Evan Gattis' ground out and raced home on a wild pitch by Niese to make it 4-0.
Dan Uggla then walked and B.J. Upton followed with sharp single to third that Wright couldn't handle before Reed Johnson scorched a base hit back up the middle to cap Atlanta's early outburst.
The Mets responded in the fourth on Wright's two-run blast to straightaway center field, but Atlanta answered with two more in the fifth, as Gattis smacked a leadoff single before Uggla and B.J. Upton worked back-to-back walks to load the bases.
Jeurys Familia then took over for Niese and Reed Johnson greeted the New York reliever with a single to left to score Gattis and Uggla for a 7-2 edge.
Freeman launched a one-out solo shot over the wall in left-center field in the sixth to push the margin to 8-2.
The Mets battled back in the eighth, as Mike Baxter smacked a pinch-hit leadoff double and Wright worked a two-out walk off Atlanta reliever Luis Avilan.
Duda then singled to right to score Baxter before Cory Gearrin took over on the mound and plunked John Buck to load the bases.
Eric O'Flaherty relieved Gearrin and walked Turner, who was pinch-hitting, to plate Wright before fanning Marlon Byrd to leave the bases loaded and end the inning.
Gattis added a sacrifice fly in the eighth to account for the final margin.
Game Notes
The middle portion of this series was postponed due to rain. A makeup date has not been announced ... Wright has homered in three straight games ... Niese tied a career-high with six walks ... Hudson improved to 138-3 with 28 no- decisions when given a lead of three runs or more.
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