Braves' Hudson, Jones leave game with injuries

MIAMI — Atlanta slugger Chipper Jones and ace Tim Hudson left Wednesday night's game against Florida with injuries, a pair of blows to the Braves' already slim playoff hopes.

Jones strained his left hamstring running out a ground ball in the fourth inning, and Hudson departed after throwing only 68 pitches because of tightness in his right elbow.

Hudson came into the game 10-7 with a 3.31 ERA for the Braves. He pitched six shutout innings before leaving the game and will be evaluated today, an off day for the team.

Jones went 0-for-2 with an RBI and a walk, dropping his major league-leading average to .369. He has been hampered by right thigh, groin and back injuries this season but hasn't been on the disabled list. He has 18 homers and 55 RBIs.

SORIANO RETURNS TO CUBS: The Chicago Cubs activated All-Star outfielder Alfonso Soriano before their game against Arizona on Wednesday night, batting him leadoff in the final game of the series.

Soriano has been out since being hit on the hand, fracturing a finger, June 11 against Atlanta. He was hitting .283 with 15 home runs and 40 RBIs before he got hurt. Soriano played Monday with the Cubs' rookie league team in suburban Peoria, Ariz., then with Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday night in their game in Tucson, 120 miles to the south. Soriano got a single in three at-bats Tuesday, playing just five innings.

Chicago also activated left-hander Scott Eyre from the disabled list and optioned Micah Hoffpauir and right-hander Kevin Hart to Iowa. Eyre, who'd been out with a strained left groin, is 2-0 with a 4.91 ERA in 11 innings this season. He hasn't pitched since June 26.

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