Braves 3, Tigers 2

3/20/2008 8:34 PM

By CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) -Tim Hudson and Justin Verlander look ready to pitch on opening day.

Hudson tossed six strong innings, allowing only an unearned run for the Atlanta Braves in a 3-2 victory Thursday night over the Detroit Tigers.

Verlander also was effective. He gave up three hits, including a solo homer by Atlanta slugger Chipper Jones, in 5 1-3 innings.

``Everybody talks about offense, but this game showed you're not going to wear out good pitching,'' Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. ``Verlander was tremendous and Hudson was tremendous and it's a good lesson.''

Leyland has confirmed Verlander will be Detroit's opening-day starter.

Braves manager Bobby Cox hasn't announced his opening-day starter, but Hudson is on schedule for the March 30 game at Washington.

``I don't know if the writing is on the wall, but it's on pace for that opening-day start unless something happens,'' Hudson said.

John Smoltz, who has endorsed Hudson for the opening-day assignment, is expected to start the March 31 home opener against Pittsburgh.

Jones hit a fourth-inning homer that easily cleared the wall in right-center, just left of the 385-foot sign, and lined a sixth-inning double off the top of the right-field wall against Verlander.

``All in all, if you can center a couple of balls off that guy, I'll take it,'' Jones said. ``I'm feeling good. The confidence is up. The body is healthy. I'm ready to go.''

The only other hit Verlander allowed was a first-inning single by Yunel Escobar.

Hudson gave up five hits with no walks and two strikeouts.

Brandon Jones and Josh Anderson, both vying to be the Braves' fourth outfielder, made late bids for the job with ninth-inning doubles one day before Cox plans to trim his roster.

Detroit reliever Denny Bautista blew a 2-1 lead in the ninth.

Anderson hit a one-out double to center. Mark Kotsay reached on an error by first baseman Mike Hessman and was replaced by pinch-runner Gregor Blanco, another outfield candidate. Anderson followed with a double to right that was bobbled by Matt Joyce as Anderson and Blanco scored.

``They're all doing a good job,'' Cox said about his young outfielders. ``They have similar tools, all of them. ... They can all run. They all have great defensive skills. They're pretty impressive kids.''

Placido Polanco, who entered hitting .435, drove in Curtis Granderson with a first-inning double to the center-field wall. Granderson reached on Hudson's fielding error.

Polanco added another double in the third.

The Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the ninth with the help of three walks by Tyler Yates, competing for one of the last spots in Atlanta's bullpen.

``He's not wild. He just misses,'' Cox said. ``I don't know what is going on there.''

Timo Perez drove in pinch-runner Danny Worth with a grounder that first baseman Scott Thorman briefly bobbled, ending his chance of a play at the plate.

Ramon Santiago filled in for Detroit shortstop Edgar Renteria, who was held out with lower back spasms.

Leyland said Renteria would have been cleared for a regular-season game.