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 After setting the record Tuesday night, the Braves manager was tossed for the 133rd time by first base umpire Angel Hernandez for disputing a balk call in the third inning of Atlanta's 6-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night.
Tim Hudson nearly joined Cox in the clubhouse at Turner Field a couple innings later, when he was called for another balk by Hernandez
-- the first two balks charged against Hudson since 2004 when he pitched for Oakland.
After the second call, Hudson began toward Hernandez and had to be restrained by teammate Mark Teixeira. But after simmering down, Hudson cruised through the eighth inning to win for the eighth time in a row, despite giving up career homer No. 759 to Barry Bonds in the sixth.
"I'm not sure what I did. I think he said I flinched my leg," said Hudson, who had only three balks in his eight-year career before Wednesday. "It's hard to swallow. What I did tonight is what I've done all year. I don't know. I guess his eyes are better than all the other umps in baseball."
Cox wasn't the only one who got tossed.
The Giants' Ryan Klesko was ejected in the fourth by plate umpire Mark Carlson after getting called out on strikes. Klesko had reached the dugout when Carlson gave him the heave-ho, prompting the Giants' burly first baseman to charge back on the field.
Two coaches restrained him, and Klesko was finally dragged into the dugout by Bonds.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy was thrown out the next inning, also for complaining about the strike zone.
"Enough is enough," Bochy said. "We're all frustrated."
In other NL games, it was the New York Mets 10, Pittsburgh 8; St. Louis 8, Milwaukee 3; Cincinnati 11, the Chicago Cubs 9; Arizona 9, Florida 6; Washington 4, Philadelphia 2; Colorado 3, San Diego 0; and the Los Angeles Dodgers 6, Houston 3.
San Francisco starter Russ Ortiz (2-3) hit a grounder off Hudson's right calf in the third. But Hudson shook it off, just as he shook off a mediocre 2006 season and the two balk calls that nearly got him tossed.
"I lost it a little bit," said Hudson, who also went 2-for-3 at the plate. "But I realized the game was more important than trying to prove a point. I put it behind me."
Bob Wickman worked the ninth for his 20th save in 26 chances, though it wasn't easy. He gave up a walk and a hit before pinch hitter Benjie Molina hit one toward the seats in center. Andruw Jones hauled it in against the wall.
Bonds went deep on the first pitch of the sixth, driving it over the center-field wall to snap Hudson's streak of 66 innings without giving up a homer. A week after breaking Hank Aaron's record, the new home run king extended it just across the street from where the Hammer hit No. 715 in 1974 to pass Babe Ruth.
A parking lot now occupies the spot of Aaron's landmark homer. Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium was torn down after the '96 season, and the Braves moved next door to Turner Field.
Bonds was 1-for-4, stymied in his other three at-bats by the Braves' shift. He hit grounders toward what is normally the hole between first and second, but the Braves had second baseman Kelly Johnson playing in short right.
He fielded all three and threw out Bonds.
"If they hadn't had the shift on, I'd be 4-for-4," Bonds said. "I hit balls good. Nothing you can do about it."
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Mets 10, Pirates 8
At Pittsburgh, Moises Alou hit a two-run homer in New York's five-run first inning, and the Mets did all of their scoring in the first and ninth to back John Maine (13-7).
David Wright hit a two-run double ahead of Alou's third homer in three games as the Mets roughed up Matt Morris (7-8) for five hits while taking a 5-0 lead in the first.
Cardinals 8, Brewers 3
At Milwaukee, Scott Rolen had the eighth four-hit game of his career and Albert Pujols hit his 275th home run to back Joel Pineiro (2-1).
Rookie Yovani Gallardo (4-3) gave up seven runs and nine hits in 5 2-3 innings.
Reds 11, Cubs 9
At Chicago, pinch-hitter Josh Hamilton hit a two-run, tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning off Bob Howry (5-7) as the Reds won for the sixth time in nine games.
Bill Bray (1-0) pitched two scoreless inning for the victory. David Weathers pitched a scoreless ninth for his 24th save.
Diamondbacks 9, Marlins 6
At Miami, the NL West-leading Diamondbacks had 15 hits, including a two-run homer by Chris Snyder, to win for the 18th time in 23 games.
Doug Davis (10-10) allowed seven hits and four runs over 5 1-3 innings to win his fifth straight decision. Jose Valverde pitched a hitless ninth for his 36th save.
Sergio Mitre (5-6) allowed 10 hits and five runs in six innings.
Nationals 4, Phillies 2
At Washington, Tim Redding (2-3) drove in a pair of runs and limited Philadelphia to two runs and three hits in six-plus innings. Chad Cordero worked a perfect ninth for his 27th save.
Ryan Church's home run in the sixth knocked out Kyle Kendrick (5-3).
Rockies 3, Padres 0
At San Diego, Ubaldo Jimenez (2-2) allowed one hit and struck out a career-high nine over six innings and fellow rookie Ian Stewart had a pinch-hit, two-run single in the seventh.
Manny Corpas earned his 10th save to complete the three-hitter.
Padres starter Chris Young battled Jimenez through six innings before Stewart broke the tie off Cla Meredith (4-6) in the seventh.
Dodgers 6, Astros 3
At Los Angeles, Russell Martin hit two home runs in a game for the first time in his career
-- including a go-ahead two-run shot in the sixth -- to back Brad Penny (14-3).
Jason Jennings (2-8) allowed four runs and seven hits over 5 2-3 innings.
Takashi Saito pitched the ninth for his 30th save in 33 attempts.
[Associated Press]
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