WASHINGTON -- Four days ago, Tim Hudson was wrapped in blankets, sleeping on a clubhouse couch at Coors Field in Denver, helplessly fighting the effects of a fever. There certainly wasn't any indication he'd be able to do what he did against Washington at Nationals Park on Friday night.

But then again, whenever Hudson faces the Nationals, it should be assumed he's quite capable of doing something special.

Hudson continued his career-long dominance against the Nationals, and with the help of Yunel Escobar's sixth-inning solo homer, he was able to gain the edge in an impressive pitchers' duel with Matt Chico. Most importantly, when Peter Moylan worked a perfect ninth in his first game as the closer, the Braves were able to celebrate a 3-0 win over the Nationals and the end of a three-game losing streak.

"[Hudson] pitched just like his other two starts," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "You can't pitch any better. I'm just glad he got the win. ... He was just lights out."

Hudson allowed just three hits over eight scoreless innings, then handed the fate of his 96-pitch effort to the hands of Moylan, who had no trouble filling the role of injured closer Rafael Soriano.

During his perfect ninth, which became a little less stressful with Matt Diaz's two-out, two-run single in the ninth, the right-handed Moylan recorded two strikeouts, including a game-ender against Ryan Zimmerman.

When the Braves wasted Hudson's solid Opening Day effort at this same park on March 30, it was Zimmerman who hit a walk-off homer in the ninth against Moylan, who definitely hadn't had time to forget this fact.

"To finish him off with a strikeout was pretty good," said Moylan, who is hoping Cox gives him regular opportunities to close games in Soriano's absence.

While Cox hasn't officially said he'll use Moylan or Manny Acosta as his closer, it's evident that Hudson has the stuff to be the staff's ace. Through his first three starts, he's posted a 2.14 ERA. His only no-decision came on Opening Day, when he surrendered two first-inning runs and then ended his seven-inning effort by retiring 19 consecutive batters.

Given the opponent that evening, the results come with little surprise. Hudson has never allowed more than two earned runs in any of the 10 career starts against the Nationals/Expos. In the process, he's gone 6-1 with a 1.11 ERA.

"There are some teams you feel more confident against," Hudson said. "But I'm not going to assume it's going to last all of the time."

While Hudson's Opening Day effort was impressive, he was even more impressive during this second encounter against the Nationals. He surrendered just three singles and allowed just one baserunner to advance as far as second base.

"He was tough," Nationals manager Manny Acta said. "He had his usual stuff. He had a lot of movement of his pitches. The slider was very tight, a very sharp rotation. The guys had a tough time picking it up. He located it perfectly."

When it came time to decide whether he should bid for his 11th career shutout, Hudson didn't take long to decided he'd had enough. During his eight-pitch, perfect eighth, he felt like he was on fumes.

"It was all I could muster to get through that eighth inning," Hudson said. "I felt like I was Houdini there in the eighth inning."

While allowing the Braves just one run and five hits in eight innings, Chico also took on the appearance of a magician. The lone damage he incurred came when Escobar began his two-hit night by with a two-out sixth-inning solo homer over the right-center-field wall.

"[Chico] was nasty tonight," Diaz said. "We think we threw the best pitcher in baseball out there tonight and [Chico] matched him pitch for pitch."

Moylan's first save of the season and second of his career became a little easier to notch when Diaz directed his two-run single to center off Jon Rauch in the ninth. The first three Braves had reached safely to start the inning before Rauch responded with consecutive strikeouts of Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann.

Having already seen five of their first six losses come in one-run games, the Braves certainly didn't object to the breathing room Diaz provided.

"Early in the season, too many times we weren't getting the timely hit," Diaz said. "It was nice to just get one."