Saturday, May 01, 1999

BRAVES 3, REDS 0

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Smoltz' one-hitter spoils Avery's return

BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Mike Cameron makes a diving catch. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        ATLANTA — John Smoltz openly chuckled when Steve Avery, his friend, former teammate and golfing buddy, struck him out with a change-up in Friday night's fifth inning.

        A half-inning later, Smoltz hid his grin with his glove after fanning Avery with a similar pitch. But ultimately, there was no joking in the Reds' clubhouse, and the last laugh belonged to Smoltz.

        Avery maintained his season-long excellence for the Reds. But Smoltz and the Atlanta Braves showed why they have been the National League's dominant team of this decade, beating the Reds 3-0 before 36,923 at Turner Field.

        Smoltz (4-0) fired the first one-hitter of his career for his 150th major-league victory, allowing only Eddie Taubensee's single to left field with one out in the fifth inning. The 1996 NL Cy Young Award winner notched his 10th consecutive victory against Cincinnati in a span of 13 starts, dating to June 19, 1994.

Steve Avery allowed just two runs in seven innings. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        “He was just a hair away from throwing a no-hitter and half a hair away from hiting one out,” said Braves ace Greg Maddux, referring to Smoltz's eighth-inning double that caromed high off the left-field wall. That hit ignited a two-run rally and led to injured ribs for left fielder Dmitri Young, who crashed into the wall while pursuing the drive.

        “He was spotting his fastball, and he had everything else working for him,” Reds first baseman Sean Casey said of Smoltz.

        It was enough to defeat Avery, who has turned into the Reds' most luckless pitcher. He prolonged his streak of lasting at least seven innings in each start, leaving after Smoltz doubled to open the eighth. Avery allowed only two runs and four hits, walking two and striking out eight. But despite his durability and a 2.02 ERA, Avery owns a 1-2 record.

        Deciding to junk his curveball early, Avery stuck to fastballs and change-ups.

        “His changeup was awesome. Unhittable,” Smoltz said. “It didn't matter if he told you it was coming.”

        Said Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone, Avery's former tutor, “It just goes to show you can render the radar gun meaningless.”

Walt Weiss jumps over Eddie Taubensee to complete a double play. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Avery tried to diminish the significance of his return to the city where he played from 1990-96, won 72 games and helped the Braves rise to elite status.

        But his desire, and the energy he put into his 100-pitch effort, were apparent.

        Avery said his dejection was “no more than any other loss.” But, he added, “I wanted to win pretty bad. I try to control what I do on the mound, and for the most part, that was pretty good.”

        He couldn't help that the Reds' charter flight landed here at 2:30 a.m. after they played a night game in Philadelphia.

        “I don't know if that late flight hurt us, but we were just a little flat,” Avery said. “You can't afford to be flat against a pitcher who throws a great game.”

        Smoltz, who entered the game with 29 strikeouts in 26ö innings, wasn't as overpowering against the Reds. He had only five strikeouts, his lowest total of the season.

        But he benefited from his teammates' defense. Braves outfielders caught hard-hit balls in the first two innings by Mike Cameron, Barry Larkin and Taubensee.

        “On that ball that Barry hit, Brian Jordan was sitting on the right-field line drinking lemonade when he caught it,” Young said.

        “The way the game started, with everybody hitting shots, it looked like we were going to have a pretty good night,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said. “But you have to give the Braves credit. They have three outfielders who can fly. That's part of being a championship ballclub.”

       

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