Braves 11, Marlins 0
Dan Uggla finished his night with a thud.
Playing his first game in the Marlins' new ballpark, Uggla hit two homers, including a direct hit off the home-run sculpture that reverberated throughout the stadium, and the Atlanta Braves drubbed Miami 11-0 Tuesday night.
Tim Hudson pitched a five-hitter for his 13th career shutout, and he had plenty of run support thanks to Uggla. The former Marlin totaled four hits and five RBIs, both season highs.
''Uggla was superman tonight,'' Hudson said.
Uggla hit a solo homer in the fourth inning, and he made the sculpture shudder when he sent a two-run homer in the ninth thudding into the sun in the middle of the colorful structure.
''I heard it,'' he said. ''I didn't see where it hit. They told me I hit the sun. I was like, `Aw man, that was cool.' Did they get a distance on it?''
Estimated distance: 432 feet.
Uggla increased his homer total to 10 this season and 200 for his career.
''I hope to have many more,'' he said.
Uggla doubled and scored in the second, and he hit a two-run single in the seventh. He spent his first five seasons with the Marlins and hit 78 home runs in their former home, the most by any player.
He likes the new ballpark just fine - including the much-maligned, carnivalesque sculpture.
''I thought the whole stadium was really cool,'' he said. ''I was happy to come here and see it.''
Hudson (4-2) struck out three, walked three and allowed only one runner to reach third base en route to his 25th complete game.
''It was a fun game,'' he said. ''They were hitting to our guys, and I had some luck on my side for a change.''
Hudson contributed a sacrifice fly and a run-scoring single for his first RBIs this year.
Atlanta's Andrelton Simmons had three hits and three RBIs, and Jason Heyward had three hits to help the Braves win for the fourth time in their past five games. They totaled 16 hits, and eight of their runs scored with two out.
The Marlins again mustered little support for Anibal Sanchez (3-4), who allowed a season-high seven runs in 6 2-3 innings. Miami has scored only 18 runs this season while he's in the game.
The Marlins lead the majors with 21 comeback wins, but there was no rallying against Hudson.
''He didn't have any stressful innings,'' Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
Miami was shut out for the sixth time. The night's biggest cheer from the crowd of 25,432 came when the Heat-Celtics playoff game two miles away was shown on the video scoreboard between innings.
''A game like that, you just have to turn the page and be ready for tomorrow,'' Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said.
Hudson has allowed no homers in his past 44 innings. He threw 108 pitches and improved to 12-4 in 23 starts against the Marlins with an ERA of 2.76.
His most recent shutout and complete game was May 4, 2011 against Milwaukee.
''That's what I'd like to be known for at the end of the year - our pitching,'' Gonzalez said.
Sanchez fell to 4-11 in 17 starts against the Braves with a 5.42 ERA.
''I missed a lot of pitches, I stayed behind in a lot of counts and the umpire missed a couple of pitches,'' Sanchez said.
The Marlins' Jose Reyes reached on a bunt single in the third to extend the longest active hitting streak in the majors to 15 games.
Uggla doubled to start the second and scored the game's first run on a groundout by Heyward. With two outs in the fourth, Sanchez gave up four consecutive hits, including Uggla's solo homer and Simmons' RBI single.
In the seventh, Simmons tripled in a run and came home on Hudson's flyout. Uggla hit a two-out, two-run single to make the score 7-0.
''When he's hot, he can carry a ballclub,'' Guillen said.
Notes: Uggla's multihomer game was his 15th. ... Braves C Brian McCann was back in the lining after sitting out Sunday with a bruised left knee. He went 0 for 4. ... Gonzalez batted his pitched eighth for the third time this season. ... Marlins OF Austin Kearns (right hamstring) has begun a rehabilitation assignment and is expected to come off the disabled list when he's eligible Thursday.