NEW YORK — Tim Hudson took a shutout into the eighth inning before getting spiked at first base and carted off the field during the Atlanta Braves' 8-2 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday night.
    Evan Gattis, Dan Uggla and Andrelton Simmons all homered off an ineffective Jeremy Hefner to help the Braves' bats break loose after scoring only four runs in their previous three games. But the nasty-looking injury to Hudson is a huge concern, leaving the NL East leaders without a veteran winner who was on a roll.
    The 38-year-old Hudson won his fourth straight start, striking out nine in 7 2-3 innings. Luis Avilan replaced him and gave up a two-run double to Daniel Murphy, who made two errors at second base.
    Hefner (4-8) compiled a 1.76 ERA in his final eight starts before the All-Star break, the best mark in the majors during that span. But he was tagged for a career-worst eight runs and 10 hits in two-plus innings last Friday against Philadelphia, a personal nemesis throughout his two-year career.
    The right-hander wasn't much better against Atlanta, allowing a career-high three homers in 4 1-3 innings. All of them were no-doubters, too.
    Gattis hit a solo shot into the second deck in left field in the second inning, his first home run since June 10 in San Diego. Despite spending 24 games on the disabled list with a strained muscle on his right side, he leads major league rookies — by a wide margin — with 15 homers and 39 RBIs.
    Brian McCann reached on an error to start the fifth when Murphy, playing deep on the outfield grass, bobbled an attempted backhand. Gattis singled and Uggla drove the next pitch to left for his 20th home run.

Hudson injured
    Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson was carted off the field after getting spiked near his right Achilles while covering first base against the New York Mets.
    Hudson was working on a four-hit shutout in the eighth inning when Eric Young Jr. hit a grounder that was knocked down by Freddie Freeman. Hudson took Freeman's toss at the bag just before Young arrived, and the speedy outfielder stepped on the back of Hudson's lower leg, driving the pitcher's right ankle awkwardly into the ground.
    Hudson immediately went down in obvious pain, and Young rushed over to check on him. The crowd at Citi Field groaned when the replay was shown on the big video board.