Hudson, Renteria propel Braves over Nationals

Tim Hudson on the mound for the Atlanta Braves? No worries.

Hudson allowed three hits over seven innings and Edgar Renteria hit two home runs as the visiting Braves ended the Washington Nationals' four-game winning streak, 6-2, last night.

"I had a really good sinker," Hudson said. "It was one of those things where I was just going to throw that until they showed me they could handle it."

Renteria went 3-for-5, homering in the first and seventh innings as the Braves snapped a two-game losing streak. Atlanta has won six of its last eight.

After flirting with no-hit bids twice in their previous three games, the Nats were on the other end of a fine pitching performance. Hudson (5-1), inducing ground ball after ground ball, had a perfect game through 4 2/3 innings.

Hudson walked one and struck out four before leaving for a pinch-hitter in the top of the eighth. He has pitched at least six innings in every start this season and has yet to allow more than three runs.

Nationals starter Jerome Williams (0-5) had to be activated from the disabled list before the game so he could make the start. His 1-2 pitch over a fat part of the plate to Renteria was deposited for a two-run homer in the first, and he failed to retire any of the four batters he faced in the third.

The team announced afterward that he had a strained rotator cuff and is likely headed back to the DL. He originally was sidelined with a sprained left ankle.

In other games:

* At Houston, Carlos Lee hit two homers, including the game-winner in the 10th, as the Astros beat the San Francisco Giants, 6-5.

* At Pittsburgh, Dan Uggla drove in four runs while hitting two of Florida's four homers, helping Sergio Mitre (1-2) win for the first time in more than a year in a 9-3 victory over the Pirates.

* At Denver, Randy Johnson (1-2) allowed one hit over six innings and led the Arizona Diamondbacks over the Colorado Rockies, 3-0.

* At New York, Aramis Ramirez hit a grand slam, sending the Chicago Cubs to a 10-1 rout of the Mets and John Maine (5-1), who suffered his first loss of the season.

* The proposed sale of the Atlanta Braves from Time Warner Inc. to Liberty Media Corp. is likely to be approved today by baseball owners. The corporations reached agreement in February, and baseball officials have said the transaction values the team at $461 million.

* The proposed sale of the Atlanta Braves from Time Warner Inc. to Liberty Media Corp. is likely to be approved today by baseball owners. The corporations reached agreement in February, and baseball officials have said the transaction values the team at $461 million.

In another matter, the Braves activated closer Bob Wickman (back) from the 15-day disabled list and optioned reliever Kevin Barry to Triple A Richmond.

* Newly acquired righthander Byung-Hyun Kim, demoted to the minors by Colorado earlier this season, will move into the Florida Marlins' rotation and is expected to start Friday at Tampa Bay. *