(SportsNetwork.com) - Tim Hudson's heart may be in San Francisco, but the veteran seems to bring his best stuff with him on the road.
Hudson looks to avoid a third straight losing start on Monday afternoon when the Giants conclude a four-game series with the hosting New York Mets.
Hudson has dropped six of his last seven decisions, with four of those coming at home. He has given up just two earned runs in his last three road starts and has pitched to a 2.13 earned run average as the visitor this season.
The righty was hurt by the longball last time out on Tuesday against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. Hudson yielded two homers and three runs over seven frames of a 3-1 loss, dropping to 8-8 on the year with a 2.71 ERA.
Hudson, 39, is 17-10 with a 3.52 ERA lifetime versus the Mets, getting a no- decision against them at home on June 7 after giving up three runs over five frames.
He is 5-2 with a 3.20 ERA in seven starts at New York's Citi Field and will pitch there for the first time since July 24 of last year, when he suffered a season-ending ankle injury covering first base while with the Atlanta Braves.
Right-hander Dillon Gee goes for the Mets and he'll also look to keep the ball in the park. He gave up a pair of homers in Tuesday's 6-0 loss to Philadelphia, charged with five runs on five hits and three walks over 6 2/3 innings.
While both homers Gee allowed were solo shots, he loaded the bases in the seventh frame before getting lifted in favor of Josh Edgin, who then gave up a grand slam to close Gee's line.
"His curveball was real good tonight and his changeup was there when he needed it," said New York manager Terry Collins about Gee.
The 28-year-old missed two months of action due to injury before returning to beat Atlanta on July 9, but has lost three straight starts since while pitching to an 8.10 ERA.
Gee is now 4-4 with a 3.77 ERA on the season and 0-1 lifetime versus the Giants with a 6.75 ERA in four games (2 starts).
The Giants grab the advantage in this series with a 9-0 victory on Sunday, led by Madison Bumgarner's 94-pitch shutout. He limited the Mets to a pair of hits and a walk while striking out a season high-tying 10 in his second career shutout.
"In the bullpen I didn't feel all that great," Bumgarner said. "Felt fine, but I was kind of all over the place. As the game went on, my command got better and I started feeling better."
Hunter Pence homered twice and drove in four, Buster Posey collected four hits with a homer and three RBI and Brandon Belt added a solo homer in the win, the Giants' third in four games. They sit 2 1/2 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place in the NL West.
New York starter Bartolo Colon was tagged for six runs on eight hits with five strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings. The six earned runs were the most the 41-year- old right-hander has allowed since May 12 against the Yankees.
"Today, he didn't have his good stuff," Collins said of Colon. "It wasn't there today."
New York has mustered eight hits through the first three games of this series.
"We're not putting good swings on the ball," said Collins. "(San Francisco) came in here with good pitching. There are a few guys that need to get going."
The Mets have seven of their past nine against the Giants, getting swept in three games in San Francisco from June 6-8.
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