Dodgers shut out for 14th time, falling to Braves and Tim Hudson, 1-0

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One night, balls are flying everywhere. Hits and runs coming in bunches.

The next night, hits are almost a rumor. Runs precious as a blue diamond.

This season the Dodgers have shown an undesired knack for losing every which way.

One night after suffering their most crushing defeat of the season in a game that saw 19 runs scored, they lost a pitching duel, falling to the Atlanta Braves, 1-0, in a light rain Friday night.

Brooks Conrad, now the Braves’ starting third baseman because of the season-ending knee injury to Chipper Jones on Tuesday, hit a solo home run out to almost dead center in the seventh for the game’s lone run.

And that was it.

The Braves managed only three other hits against Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda in his seven innings, but the one homer by Conrad -- who has hit all seven of his home runs this season in the seventh inning or later -- was all it took.

Tim Hudson (pictured at right) held the Dodgers -- who had 14 hits Thursday -- to just three hits in eight innings. Hudson raised his record to 14-5, while walking only one and striking out six.

Billy Wagner, allowed a leadoff single to Scott Podsednik, but pitched out of trouble in the ninth inning to earn his 29th save.

It was the 14th time this season the Dodgers have been shut out, tops in baseball.

Despite pitching well, Kuroda fell to 8-11. He walked two and struck out three.

Jonathan Broxton, who was demoted from his closer’s role prior to the game after losing Thursday‘s game in Philadelphia, pitched a scoreless eighth.

-- Steve Dilbeck

Photo credit: Tami Chappell / Reuters