After blowing a huge NL East division lead and watching a wild card lead slip away to no existent, the Atlanta Braves officially made the playoffs Sunday after holding on against the Phillies and then watching as the Giants finally squashed the San Diego Padres.
Sunday the Atlanta Braves rallied from a 2-0 hole as starter Tim Hudson plated the go-ahead run as the Braves scored eight straight runs before the bullpen gave nearly all of an 8-2 lead back. Billy Wagner surrendered a two-run double in the eighth before striking out four straight to end the game and putting the Braves up one-half game in the Wild card standings. The Giants then helped out the Braves but shutting out the Padres 3-0 to put the Braves back into the playoffs for the first time since 2005.
Brooks Conrad and Omar Infante, who Braves manager Bobby Cox switched in the infield to second and third, respectively, both knocked in a pair of runs, helping Tim Hudson improve to 17-9 on the season. Hudson was pitching on short rest for the second straight start but was still able to deliver seven innings, allowing just four runs, on two hits, both homers.
Now the Braves will travel to San Francisco to play the Giants on Thursday with game two of the best-of-five on Friday. Game three will be in Atlanta on Sunday with a game four Monday, if necessary. Derek Lowe will likely pitch game one Thursday and Hudson could be available to go Friday on four days of rest from his start today.
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