Hudson dominates Diamondbacks in Giants debut

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Phoenix – Tim Hudson, pro that he is, officially began his Giants career Wednesday night by owning the strike zone, dominating the Diamondbacks and informing Major League Baseball that he is still can be a force on the mound at 38.

Would you expect anything less from baseball's active wins leader?

Hudson broke a tie with the Yankees' CC Sabathia for that distinction with his 206th win, a 2-0 Giants victory that felt crisp and clean, the perfect antitode to the two mistake- and replay-bloated games that began the 2014 season.

Hudson lasted 7 2/3 innings in his first regular-season game since he broke his ankle with the Braves on July 24.

He held the Diamondbacks to three hits, walked none, struck out seven and did not allow a hitter to reach third base, even after Paul Goldschmidt's leadoff double in the seventh.

Seventy-four of Hudson's 103 pitches were strikes.

Angel Pagan drove in one run and saved one, perhaps two, in center field, and Michael Morse earned his first RBI as a Giant in a win that assured the Giants at least a split of the four-game series. Tim Lincecum makes his first start in Thursday's matinee.

Apr 2, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Hudson (17) throws during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports less Apr 2, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Tim Hudson (17) throws during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY ... more Photo: Matt Kartozian, Reuters Photo: Matt Kartozian, Reuters Image 1 of / 10 Caption Close Hudson dominates Diamondbacks in Giants debut 1 / 10 Back to Gallery

Javier Lopez got the final out of the eighth and Sergio Romo earned his second save of the series to complete the shutout, a perfect inning that included a called strikeout of Paul Goldschmidt.

Hudson was able to command the game in a way that Madison Bumgarner and Matt Cain could not Monday and Tuesday.

For starters, Hudson is not intimidated by this hitters' park. His 1.78 ERA at Chase Field was fourth-lowest among all pitchers with at least 40 innings and he none of the 178 hitters he faced had homered in this masher's paradise.

Hudson immediately showed his biggest asset as a strike thrower when he got ahead 0-2 on seven of the nine hitters in three perfect innings to start the game.

The Giants made much better contact against Trevor Cahill, but the defensive studs behind him frustrated San Francisco hitters. First baseman Paul Goldschmidt robbed Brandon Belt and Ehire Adrianza in the first two innings. Aaron Hill leaped high in the air to catch a Pagan liner.

Even left fielder Mark Trumbo, supposedly a weak fielder, made a sliding catch to prevent Hunter Pence's first hit of the season.

Then it was Pagan's turn. He saved a run in the fourth inning with a lunging catch that denied Martin Prado, preserving the scoreless tie.

Pagan then broke that tie with a two-out single in the fifth, too fierce even for Goldschmidt to stop, that cashed in an Adrianza walk and a Hudson sacrifice. Adrianza crossed the plate with the Giants' first run in 13 innings.

Adrianza got his first start of the year at second base after Joaquin Arias went hitless in the first two games.

"He's not used to going out there every day," manager Bruce Bochy said of Arias. "I'm not going to grind him down."

Another two-out hit, Morse's scorching double over center fielder Tony Campana's head in the sixth, scored Pence for a 2-0 lead. Buster Posey's single started the rally.

Think More was pumped up? He shot his fist into the air several times as he approached second base then vigorously rubbed clubhouse manager Michael Morse's head in the dugout when he was removed for a pinch-runner.

Morse has played 16 defensive games without a flyball hit his way