Smoltz’s Streak Is Over at 14

From the first pitch, John Smoltz and his 14-game winning streak were in trouble.

Ron Gant homered on Smoltz’s opening pitch, Brian Jordan drove in a career-high six runs and the Cardinals roughed up baseball’s biggest winner this season, defeating the Braves, 9-2, Monday night at Atlanta.

“They came out swinging,” Smoltz said. “After the home run, they got some base hits on fastballs. I didn’t have a great fastball, but I didn’t make enough good pitches, either.”

Smoltz (14-2), who had not lost since his first start of the year April 4, was trying to match the longest winning streak in the majors since Gaylord Perry’s 15-game stretch in 1974.

Instead, the Cardinals scored three times in the first inning.

“They’ve definitely got my number, if you want to talk about numbers,” he said. “I’ve got a losing record against them. They’ve always been able to get hits and I’ve maintained throughout this whole streak that if a team was going to beat me, they had to get a lot of hits. They got 10 hits. So it’s that simple.”

Cincinnati 7, Philadelphia 0--Mark Portugal pitched a four-hitter for his first shutout in nearly three years, leading the Reds past the Phillies at Cincinnati.

Portugal (3-5) gave up a double, three singles and three walks, while striking out four. It was his first shutout since Sept. 21, 1993 and his first complete game since June 18 last year.

Cincinnati rocked Curt Schilling (2-2) for nine hits and six runs in 3 2/3 innings. Bret Boone had a solo homer and a sacrifice fly and Willie Greene hit a two-run homer.

Florida 2, San Francisco 1--Jeff Conine hit a two-run homer and John Burkett gave up only three hits in seven innings, carrying the Marlins to the victory at Miami.

Conine’s blast against Mark Leiter (4-6) wiped out a 1-0 Giant lead in the sixth. It came after Gary Sheffield drew a one-out walk.

Burkett (5-7) struck out seven in seven innings for his first victory since June 4.

Montreal 11, Pittsburgh 3--Henry Rodriguez hit two home runs, tying for the major league lead with 25, and the Expos used a nine-run second inning to defeat the Pirates at Montreal.

Rodriguez went three for five with four runs batted in, including a two-run double in the second that put the Expos ahead, 4-3.

Rodriguez hit a solo homer in the first off rookie Elmer Dessens (0-1) and connected again in the sixth off Steve Cooke. Montreal had seven hits, highlighted by Darrin Fletcher’s three-run double, during the second inning.

New York 2, Colorado 1--Jeff Kent homered leading off the eighth inning and Jason Isringhausen scattered nine hits in eight innings as the Mets edged the Rockies at Denver.

Kent hit a 1-1 pitch over the left-field wall off loser Darren Holmes (2-3).

Isringhausen (4-9) gave up one run while striking out three and walking three.