ATLANTA – Eric Hinske hit a pinch-hit, two-run home run in the seventh inning Tuesday night, and the Atlanta Braves improved their playoff wild-card chances with a 3-2 win over the Florida Marlins.
The Braves held a one-game lead over San Diego for the National League wild-card spot going into the Padres’ home game later Tuesday against the Chicago Cubs
Trailing 1-0, the Braves rallied for three runs in the seventh off Anibal Sanchez (12-12), who had held them to three hits through six innings.
Melky Cabrera led off the seventh with a single and was sacrificed to second. Brooks Conrad tripled off the center-field fence, scoring Cabrera. Florida center fielder Cameron Maybin was injured when he hit the fence attempting the catch. He appeared to hurt a leg and was taken off the field in a golf cart.
After Rick Ankiel struck out, Hinske hit a 2-2 pitch well over the right-center-field fence for his 11th homer of the season and a 3-1 Atlanta lead.
Dan Uggla homered off Peter Moylan in the eighth to get the Marlins within 3-2. It was his 32nd of the season and his 100th RBI.
Craig Kimbrel (4-0) got the win with a hitless seventh, striking out the side, and Billy Wagner earned his 36th save with a scoreless ninth, giving up a walk and striking out three.
Atlanta starter Tim Hudson, pitching on three days’ rest, allowed seven hits, one run, walked four and struck out four in six innings.
It was the seventh time he had gone on three days’ rest. He had been 2-0 with a 2.61 ERA in three regular-season starts and 0-1 with a 3.97 ERA in three postseason starts. His last regular-season start on short rest was Sept. 17, 2006, against the Marlins, when he allowed three hits and one run in seven innings.
Hudson was 1-4 with a 6.10 ERA in five previous September starts after going 6-0 with a 1.43 ERA in his previous eight starts.
The Braves improved their home record to 54-23, tops in the major leagues.
They missed a chance to score in the sixth when Brian McCann was easily thrown out at the plate on a two-out double into the right-field corner by Derrek Lee. Uggla, the cutoff man, made a strong throw to catcher Brad Davis.
The Marlins had two other opportunities against Hudson, who got Gaby Sanchez on a grounder to short with the bases loaded and two outs in the third. The other came in the fifth after Hudson walked two with one out, Uggla hit a liner to right with Jason Heyward making a long running catch to save at least one run. Hudson then retired Sanchez for the third out.
The Braves have four games left – all at home. They host the Marlins today at 4:30 p.m. with Derek Lowe pitching with three days’ rest, and then they host NL East winner Philadelphia in three games beginning Friday night.
Atlanta third baseman Martin Prado is done for the season after an MRI on Tuesday showed he had a hip pointer and a torn exterior oblique muscle. He injured himself during Monday’s game.
Braves relief pitcher Eric O’Flaherty hasn’t pitched since last Wednesday and still is unavailable. He said he has been suffering from lightheadedness, dizzy spells and blurred vision and is undergoing tests. It could be related to a spell of mononucleosis, which had him on the disabled list from July 10 to Aug. 20.