Smoltz, Padres Continue to Go Separate Ways

The Atlanta Braves’ John Smoltz continued to baffle San Diego so thoroughly that the two-hitter he pitched Wednesday at Atlanta en route to making franchise history didn’t even qualify as his best of the season against the Padres.

“I got in a good rhythm but I had better stuff in the game in San Diego,” he said after a 5-1 victory at San Diego.

He was referring to his one-hitter against Padres on April 14.

This time, Smoltz (14-1) set a franchise record with his 14th consecutive victory, one that gave Atlanta a sweep of the three-game series. He retired the first 19 Padres, losing his bid for a perfect game when Chris Gomez doubled with one out in the seventh inning.

The Padres have lost 15 of their last 17 games.

St. Louis 3, Philadelphia 2--Brian Jordan pulled one out for a future Hall of Famer at St. Louis.

“Today is Ozzie’s day,” Jordan said after making a game-saving catch in the top of the ninth and then doubling and scoring in the bottom half. “I did that for Ozzie.”

Before the game, 41-year-old shortstop Ozzie Smith announced he was retiring at the end of the season after 15 years with the Cardinals and 19 in the major leagues.

“I think the club was very motivated,” Manager Tony La Russa said. “There’s no doubt in my mind they wanted to send Ozzie a message, and they should. Everybody cares about him.”

Cincinnati 10, Houston 7--Barry Larkin drove in four runs, and Chris Sabo hit a three-run homer for the Reds at Houston. Larkin, one-for-10 in the first two games of the series, went three-for-four in the finale. He has hit safely in 16 of his last 21 games.

Sabo hit a homer in the sixth off reliever Anthony Young to put the Reds ahead 10-4.

Colorado 7, Montreal 6--After battling on even terms through most of the game, the Expos and Rockies tried to play giveaway at Denver. A Montreal throwing error finally decided it.

With Walt Weiss on second and no outs in the 10th inning, Colorado’s Quinton McCracken laid a bunt down the third-base line. Shane Andrews fielded it cleanly and threw to first--to an uncovered base for an error.

Pittsburgh 6-3, New York 5-5--Bernard Gilkey hit a two-run homer off rookie closer Francisco Cordova and the Mets pulled off their first winning ninth-inning rally this season in the second game of a doubleheader at Pittsburgh. Jason Kendall’s two-run single in the eighth inning capped Pittsburgh’s second comeback in as many games as the Pirates won the opener.