By ANTONIO GONZALEZ
Associated Press Writer

MIAMI(AP) -- Tim Hudson had waited more than a year to get back to
the big leagues. After months of rehabilitation - and a rain
delay that lasted nearly three hours - he finally got his
chance.

Hudson pitched effectively into the sixth inning in his return
to the majors, lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 4-3 victory over
the Florida Marlins on a rain-soaked Tuesday night.

Hudson (1-0) gave up six hits and two runs in 5 1-3 innings in
his first big league start since having elbow ligament
replacement surgery almost 13 months ago.

"I wasn't sure we were going to get it in," Hudson said. "It
took a while to get it going. But it was better late than
never."

Brian McCann and Garret Anderson each had an RBI, and the Braves
took advantage of a balk by starter Anibal Sanchez (2-6) to beat
the Marlins for the second straight night in a series pivotal
for both teams' postseason chances. Atlanta is three games
behind Colorado for the NL wild card, and Florida fell five
back.

Marlins All-Star shortstop Hanley Ramirez left in the top of the
fifth with a tight left hamstring, the team said. Florida
manager Fredi Gonzalez said the "cramp" likely had a lot to do
with the delay, and doesn't think the injury will sideline his
star slugger.

A long day that ended with a loss was disheartening enough.

"I don't even know what time it is, really," Gonzalez said.
"You're so locked in on a good ballgame. It was a one-run
ballgame in the end. I'm sure it's going to hit me in about 20
minutes."

Dan Uggla hit his 24th home run in the ninth off Rafael Soriano.
But the Braves closer regrouped to get his 21st save in 24
chances.

All that was after a rain delay that seemed as though it would
never end. The final out came at 1:02 a.m. Wednesday.

"Yeah, it's frustrating," Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan said.
"We had some chances and didn't capitalize. Lately it seems like
we haven't got the big hit."

The rain and thunderstorms around the ballpark never let the
starters warm up for the original start time. The Marlins were
able to begin batting practice about 2 1/2 hours before the
game, then the sky quickly blackened, and fast-moving storms
forced players to retreat to the dugout and sent the grounds
crew scurrying to put the tarp on the field.

About 1,000 fans remained when the game finally started in a
light drizzle at exactly 10 p.m., the field soggy but solid. The
few left were wrapped in ponchos and damp clothes, a spirited
bunch of Marlins and Braves fans who tried to make up for the
stadium's orange and aqua seats left wet and empty.

None of that could put a damper on a big night for Atlanta's
former ace.

Hudson had last pitched July 23, 2008, when he walked off the
same mound in Florida with discomfort in his right arm. He had
surgery last August.

"For his first outing, in starting 3 hours late, hanging out
here all day, wondering when the first pitch was going to be
about 10 different times, I thought he did great," Braves
manager Bobby Cox said.

Now, after more than a year recovering and more than a month of
rehab starts in the minors, the right-hander rejoined a rotation
that is already one of the strongest in the big leagues and
looking to make a move into the playoffs.

"It gives us six good ones. It gives us a lot of options," Cox
said.

Matt Diaz had a leadoff single and scored on a double play later
in the first to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.

The Marlins answered fast in the bottom half, with Coghlan and
Wes Helms starting with back-to-back doubles. Both scored on
Jorge Cantu's single.

After Sanchez balked in a run, McCann hit an RBI double in the
third that put Atlanta ahead 3-2.

Hudson loaded the bases in the sixth, but reliever Peter Moylan
got Cody Ross to ground into a double play.

NOTES: Florida has had three rainouts this season in Miami, a
big reason the team is looking forward to a new retractable-roof
ballpark expected to open in 2012.