(SportsNetwork.com) - Tim Hudson goes after his third win in as many starts on Sunday when the San Francisco Giants conclude a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies at AT&T Park.
Hudson has shown no ill effects from the fractured ankle that cut his season short last July, as he has won both of his starts this season and has pitched to a 1.15 ERA in doing so.
The veteran right-hander beat Arizona for the second time on Tuesday, as he allowed three runs (2 earned) and seven hits in eight innings. He also struck out four and did not walk a batter for the second straight start.
His 15 2/3 innings to start the season without a walk is the highest such total by a Giant since Atlee Hammaker went 21 innings in 1983.
"I guess guys are fighting to get to the bat rack to swing off me," Hudson said. "They're not being too patient. But I enjoy when hitters go up there and they want to hit. Right now I'm pounding the strike zone with a lot of my pitches, and it's forcing other teams to swing the bat. If I can do that, stay out of the middle of the plate, I can go deep into the game and keep those guys behind me looking good, making good plays behind me."
Hudson is 5-2 versus the Rockies with a 4.36 ERA in 11 starts.
Colorado, meanwhile, will turn to righty Tyler Chatwood, who will be making his season debut after missing the first few weeks with a hamstring injury he suffered in his final spring start.
Chatwood enjoyed a career year last season with the Rockies, going 8-5 with a 3.15 ERA over 20 starts.
Troy Tulowitzki plated the game's only run on Saturday with a sacrifice fly in the third and six Colorado pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout, as the Rockies recorded a 1-0 win.
Colorado starter Brett Anderson allowed just one hit and a walk over three scoreless frames before leaving in the bottom of the fourth after injuring his left index finger when he grounded out to end the top of the inning.
Tommy Kahnle (1-0) took over on the mound and struck out two over two blank frames before Matt Belisle and Adam Ottavino each fired a perfect inning to keep the Giants off the board.
Rex Brothers wiggled out of a two-out bases-loaded jam in the eighth before LaTroy Hawkins retired the side in order in the ninth to nail down the victory and his second save of the season.
Charlie Blackmon collected half of Colorado's four hits and scored the only run for the Rockies, who dropped a 6-5 decision in Friday's opener of this three-game series.
San Francisco starter Matt Cain (0-2) took the hard-luck loss after giving up a run on four hits and three walks with eight strikeouts. Pablo Sandoval and Brandon Crawford each clubbed a double for the Giants, who have lost four of their last six games.
"I can't tell you if they're pressing or not. Sometimes that's human nature, if you don't get off to a great start you start looking at numbers," San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said, referring to his team's offensive struggles. "Hopefully they're not. They're good hitters. They'll come around and their numbers will be up there at the end of the day."
San Francisco was 10-9 versus the Rockies last season.
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