Hudson Wins No. 14, Bonds Hits No. 759

ATLANTA (AP) _ Tim Hudson won his eighth in a row despite giving up Barry Bonds' 759th homer and being called for a couple of balks, including one that got Braves manager Bobby Cox ejected for the

Wednesday, August 15th 2007, 9:58 pm

By: News On 6

ATLANTA (AP) _ Tim Hudson won his eighth in a row despite giving up Barry Bonds' 759th homer and being called for a couple of balks, including one that got Braves manager Bobby Cox ejected for the second straight night, as Atlanta defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-3 Wednesday.

Bonds went deep on the first pitch of the sixth, driving it over the center-field wall beyond the reach of leaping Andruw Jones. A week after breaking Hank Aaron's record, the new home run king extended it just across the street from where the Hammer went past Babe Ruth with No. 715.

It didn't help the Giants. Hudson (14-5) pitched eight strong innings and the Braves struck for four runs in the sixth, just as they did in a 5-4 victory to open the series on Tuesday.

Hudson, who struggled through a mediocre 2006 season, has recaptured the form that made him one of the AL's most dominant pitchers before he was traded from Oakland to Atlanta. He hasn't lost since June 19 and has lasted at least six innings in all but one of his 10 starts during the winning streak.

Hudson did have some bumps in this one. He took a hard-hit grounder off his right leg in the third inning and was twice called for balks by first-base umpire Angel Hernandez.

Cox was tossed for disputing the first one, the 133rd ejection of his career. Just one night earlier, he broke the record he shared with Hall of Famer John McGraw by getting thrown out for arguing a called third strike on Chipper Jones.

When Hernandez called another balk in Hudson in the fifth, the Atlanta pitcher started toward the ump and had to be restrained by teammate Mark Teixeira. Cox wasn't around to argue that call, so bench coach Chino Cadahia came out briefly to talk with Hernandez.

The last-place Giants had their own problems. Ryan Klesko was tossed in the fourth by plate umpire Mark Carlson after getting called out on strikes.

Klesko had reached the dugout when Carlson gave him the heave-ho, prompting the Giants' burly first baseman to charge back on the field. Two coaches kept him from getting at the ump, and Klesko was finally dragged into the dugout by Bonds.

Manager Bruce Bochy was thrown out the next inning, also for griping about the strike zone.

Bonds' homer tied the game at 2 in the sixth, but the Braves surged back in front in the bottom half against Russ Ortiz (2-3) and two relievers.

Ortiz was lifted after walking Teixeira and hitting Brian McCann. Jeff Francoeur followed with a single off Scott Atchison, who then threw a wild pitch to bring home the go-ahead run. Andruw Jones, struggling and hurting, followed with a two-run double into the left-field corner.

Willie Harris finished off the outburst with a sacrifice fly to the wall in left against Jack Taschner.

Hudson also had a good night at the plate, too. He went 2-for-3, including a run-scoring single in the second that gave the Braves a 2-0 lead.

Bob Wickman worked the ninth for his 20th save in 26 chances.

Davis cut into the deficit with an RBI single in the fifth.

Notes: Ortiz pitched for the Braves in 2003-04. He was a 21-game winner his first season in Atlanta. ... The Giants had one hit off Hudson in each of the first six innings.