Friday, June 17, 2005
Smoltz stymies Reds to notch sixth win
CINCINNATI -- With every passing day it seems like the Braves are delivered another heavy blow on the injury front. While potentially deflating, John Smoltz is treating June like its October and doing whatever he can to help his teammates realize there's still plenty of season left.
While Smoltz can't do anything to change the fact that Mike Hampton, John Thomson, Tim Hudson and Chipper Jones are all currently on the disabled list, he is capable of raising a young team's spirits, like he did with eight strong innings in the Braves' 5-2 win over the Reds at Great American Ball Park on Thursday night.
"I don't approach many games like a playoff," Smoltz said. "It's just hard to do that every time out. But the last couple, I've had to approach like a playoff because the wins aren't coming the way they should, and we need to start pouring them on. The way you do it is by having a starter go out there and giving you as many innings as possible."
Smoltz, who has notched a Major League record 14 postseason victories, limited the Reds to two earned runs and four hits in eight innings. He's lasted at least eight innings in each of his past three starts. The last time he managed to do that over a trio of starts was Aug. 24- Sept. 4, 1999.
"Today it was more important that I pitch innings more than anything else because of the [situation] of our bullpen and the situation of Hudson," Smoltz said. "I've been used to other guys picking up the slack for me. So this time around, it's kind of nice to pick up the slack for some other guys."
Smoltz's effort, which was soured only by solo homers by Joe Randa and Adam Dunn, came just hours after the Braves had learned Hudson was going on the disabled list with a left oblique injury. Having three starters on the disabled list simultaneously might still prove disastrous. But at least for one night, the 38-year-old Smoltz, who has been around for each of the previous 13 consecutive division titles, kept hope alive.
"It's been a struggle, and obviously people know what our issues are," said Smoltz, who tossed a complete game in his previous start on Saturday against the A's. "We just have to find ways to do like we did today."
While recording just their seventh win in their past 20 games, the Braves prevented falling into last place in the National League East and now trail the front-running Nationals by five games. Not bad for a team that has lost each of its last six series and eight of its last nine.
"The last couple of weeks, it's been pretty rare where we jump out with a lead before they do," Marcus Giles said. "As a team that's struggling, when you don't get the lead before they do, it kind of deflates you."
Giles' fifth-inning solo homer off Reds starter Brandon Claussen proved to be the game-winner for the Braves, who hadn't won the first game of a road series since April 18, the night Ryan Langerhans' 12th-inning homer allowed them to claim a 1-0 win over the Astros.
John Smoltz / P
Born: 05/15/67
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 220 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R
More info:
Player page
Stats | Splits
Gallery
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Langerhans proved important again in this victory with a perfectly-timed, well-stretched leap that helped him grab a Ryan Freel shot to the wall in the sixth inning. The other offensive stars were Rafael Furcal, who provided his 12th career leadoff homer, and Julio Franco, who defied age yet again and sparked a two-run seventh inning.
Franco, who was battling a high fever on Wednesday, stole both second and third base in the seventh. The last time the 46-year-old first baseman registered a two-steal game was July 17, 1994, when he was with the White Sox.
After stealing third base uncontested against Reds reliever and former Braves top draft pick Matt Belisle, Franco trotted home on a Johnny Estrada RBI double. Brian Jordan followed with an RBI single to cap the two-run inning and give the Braves the second hit they would record in 15 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
When the Reds produced two baserunners to begin the ninth inning, the seventh-inning insurance runs looked big. But former Reds reliever and current Braves closer Chris Reitsma quickly righted himself, retiring the next three batters to notch his fifth save.
"It just looked like a baseball game we expect ourselves to play," Giles said.
Of course it didn't hurt that Smoltz was out there displaying his patented postseason determination and showing his young teammates that he's willing to carry some of the load to help them get through this rough stretch.
"I want to get back to when I'm on the field, they feel we're going to win," Smoltz said. "That takes re-earning."
Source: http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/
While Smoltz can't do anything to change the fact that Mike Hampton, John Thomson, Tim Hudson and Chipper Jones are all currently on the disabled list, he is capable of raising a young team's spirits, like he did with eight strong innings in the Braves' 5-2 win over the Reds at Great American Ball Park on Thursday night.
"I don't approach many games like a playoff," Smoltz said. "It's just hard to do that every time out. But the last couple, I've had to approach like a playoff because the wins aren't coming the way they should, and we need to start pouring them on. The way you do it is by having a starter go out there and giving you as many innings as possible."
Smoltz, who has notched a Major League record 14 postseason victories, limited the Reds to two earned runs and four hits in eight innings. He's lasted at least eight innings in each of his past three starts. The last time he managed to do that over a trio of starts was Aug. 24- Sept. 4, 1999.
"Today it was more important that I pitch innings more than anything else because of the [situation] of our bullpen and the situation of Hudson," Smoltz said. "I've been used to other guys picking up the slack for me. So this time around, it's kind of nice to pick up the slack for some other guys."
Smoltz's effort, which was soured only by solo homers by Joe Randa and Adam Dunn, came just hours after the Braves had learned Hudson was going on the disabled list with a left oblique injury. Having three starters on the disabled list simultaneously might still prove disastrous. But at least for one night, the 38-year-old Smoltz, who has been around for each of the previous 13 consecutive division titles, kept hope alive.
"It's been a struggle, and obviously people know what our issues are," said Smoltz, who tossed a complete game in his previous start on Saturday against the A's. "We just have to find ways to do like we did today."
While recording just their seventh win in their past 20 games, the Braves prevented falling into last place in the National League East and now trail the front-running Nationals by five games. Not bad for a team that has lost each of its last six series and eight of its last nine.
"The last couple of weeks, it's been pretty rare where we jump out with a lead before they do," Marcus Giles said. "As a team that's struggling, when you don't get the lead before they do, it kind of deflates you."
Giles' fifth-inning solo homer off Reds starter Brandon Claussen proved to be the game-winner for the Braves, who hadn't won the first game of a road series since April 18, the night Ryan Langerhans' 12th-inning homer allowed them to claim a 1-0 win over the Astros.
John Smoltz / P
Born: 05/15/67
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 220 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R
More info:
Player page
Stats | Splits
Gallery
Team Site | Shop
Langerhans proved important again in this victory with a perfectly-timed, well-stretched leap that helped him grab a Ryan Freel shot to the wall in the sixth inning. The other offensive stars were Rafael Furcal, who provided his 12th career leadoff homer, and Julio Franco, who defied age yet again and sparked a two-run seventh inning.
Franco, who was battling a high fever on Wednesday, stole both second and third base in the seventh. The last time the 46-year-old first baseman registered a two-steal game was July 17, 1994, when he was with the White Sox.
After stealing third base uncontested against Reds reliever and former Braves top draft pick Matt Belisle, Franco trotted home on a Johnny Estrada RBI double. Brian Jordan followed with an RBI single to cap the two-run inning and give the Braves the second hit they would record in 15 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
When the Reds produced two baserunners to begin the ninth inning, the seventh-inning insurance runs looked big. But former Reds reliever and current Braves closer Chris Reitsma quickly righted himself, retiring the next three batters to notch his fifth save.
"It just looked like a baseball game we expect ourselves to play," Giles said.
Of course it didn't hurt that Smoltz was out there displaying his patented postseason determination and showing his young teammates that he's willing to carry some of the load to help them get through this rough stretch.
"I want to get back to when I'm on the field, they feel we're going to win," Smoltz said. "That takes re-earning."
Source: http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/
