Smoltz Finds 13 a Lucky Number

John Smoltz, wearing a golf shirt and plaid shorts, stood casually in front of his locker Friday night after the Atlanta Braves’ 3-1 victory over the Dodgers, trying to explain his latest feat to a sea of reporters.

Smoltz (13-1) has always been considered one of the nastiest pitchers in baseball. He has won 90 games during his eight-year career, but never more than 15 in a season. He has lost only one of 13 postseason starts, but always was pushed to the background.

When a pitcher is on the same staff with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, it’s easy to be overlooked.

“It’s almost like I had to apologize for winning 15 games,” Smoltz said. “I mean, it’s been ridiculous. People are asking me questions like I’ve never done anything in my life. Come on.”

But Smoltz has never had a season like this one.

When a pitcher has the best record in the major leagues, has tied the franchise record with 13 consecutive victories, leads the league with 125 strikeouts and has a 2.36 earned-run average, inquiring minds want to know how the transformation has taken place.

Smoltz paused, felt something peculiar, looked down at his shirt and had the answer in his hand.

It was a red laundry tag.

Smoltz’s concentration has been so great this season that it wasn’t until leaving Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium late Friday that he realized he had spent the entire day with a silly laundry tag on his shirt.

“That goes to show you,” he said, breaking into an embarrassed grin, “that I’ve never been more focused in my life. I’m taking the approach that nothing or nobody bothers me, and nothing will get in my way.

“I just wish I could have done this a long time ago.”

Smoltz, a virtual shoo-in to become the National League’s starting pitcher in this season’s All-Star game, is on pace to become the first 30-game winner since Denny McLain in 1968.

“The way he’s going,” said Dodger second baseman Delino DeShields, “there’s no telling what’s going to happen. He’s just plain nasty.”

DeShields was only one of many Dodgers Friday night who were clueless against Smoltz. He pitched eight shutout innings, yielding only five hits and striking out eight. No one reached third base against him.

Dodger starter Pedro Astacio (3-5), who gave up only seven hits and two runs in seven innings, never had a chance. The Dodgers avoided the shutout when right fielder Raul Mondesi hit a one-out homer in the ninth inning off closer Mark Wohlers. It was much too late to save the Dodgers (35-32), who remain one game behind the National League West-leading San Diego Padres.

The Dodgers’ best chances to score were in the fourth and seventh innings. Roger Cedeno led off the fourth with a single to left field, and Mondesi reached on third baseman Chipper Jones’ error. Smoltz, in a pickoff attempt, hit Cedeno in the back. Cedeno ran to third but was thrown out by second baseman Mark Lemke. Smoltz then struck out Eric Karros and Mike Blowers.

Karros led off the seventh inning with a double to left, but it made no difference. Smoltz struck out Blowers, Todd Hollandsworth and Tom Prince in succession, drawing a standing ovation from the paid crowd of 45,839.

“When little things went wrong before, I would let them get to me,” Smoltz said. “I think teams thought there was always a chance they could get to me. They’d knew I’d get rattled or something. Not anymore.”

Certainly, it was a different Smoltz than the Dodgers have been accustomed to seeing. He always had the ability to embarrass an opponent for six innings, then self-destruct in the seventh. This time, there was no letdown.

“Smoltz has a completely different aura about him,” Jones said. “You can see it in his eyes when he comes out of the bullpen. He can’t wait to get at guys.

“Before, he’d try to pitch around certain guys and be careful. Now, he goes right at them, daring them to beat him with his best stuff.

“As you can see, it ain’t happening.”