Smoltz a 20-Game Winner for First Time

John Smoltz tried to shrug off the importance of winning 20 games for the first time in his career.

“Twenty is just a number. It’s never been a major goal,” he said after the Atlanta Braves beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-4, Friday night at Atlanta. “But it’s a number I’m proud to have.”

Smoltz (20-6) took a four-hitter into the ninth before tiring. After the game, the Braves delivered two bottles of champagne in ice to his locker--with enough cups for the rest of the team.

“What winning 20 indicates is that I’ve been consistent giving us a chance to win most of the time,” he said. “With eight starts left, and the postseason, I can make it even better. I don’t want to stop now.”

Smoltz, who had never won more than 15 games in a season before, gave up seven hits, walked one and struck out six as he raised his major league-leading strikeout total to 217.

“I’m just happy I’m healthy, that I’ve put together two good halves,” Smoltz said. “I haven’t done that much in my eight years.”

After Orlando Merced’s RBI single in the ninth, Mark Wohlers got two outs for his 30th save, yielding a run-scoring single to Charlie Hayes. With two on, Jay Bell flied out and pinch-hitter Dave Clark struck out.

Atlanta won for the fifth time in six games, while Pittsburgh lost for the sixth time in seven games.

Colorado 8, Cincinnati 4--Ellis Burks’ two-run single broke open a close game and helped the Rockies end a four-game losing streak with a victory at Cincinnati.

Burks’ single completed a three-run rally in the sixth that put the Rockies ahead, 7-4. Vinny Castilla added four hits, including a two-run homer that was his 30th, and Larry Walker hit a solo homer, his 15th.

The Rockies won for only the fifth time in 19 games at Riverfront Stadium and improved their road record to 22-40.

Thomas Howard had four singles for the Reds, giving him 10 hits in the last three games. His single in the sixth inning was his seventh consecutive hit, a streak that ended in the ninth inning when he grounded out. The National League record is 10 consecutive hits.

Houston 8, Chicago 3--Craig Biggio had three hits and drove in two runs and Mike Hampton (10-7) won his fourth consecutive as the Astros won at Chicago.

Houston, which holds a one-game lead over St. Louis in the National League Central, is 5-2 on this trip, which concludes with two more games at Wrigley Field.

“Every game to us is very, very important,” Astro Manager Collins said. “Certainly, this series is huge for the Cubs. It can really get them back into the hunt.”

St. Louis 6, Florida 2--Andy Benes struck out a season-high 10 batters in eight innings and doubled in two runs to win his 10th consecutive decision as the Cardinals beat the Marlins at St. Louis.

Benes (13-8) is one short of the team record of 11 consecutive victories by John Tudor in 1985. Benes won 10 in a row for San Diego in 1994-95.

San Francisco 6, Philadelphia 4--Marvin Benard went two for four, scored three runs and drove in a run as the Giants won at Philadelphia to hand the Phillies their seventh loss in eight games.

The start of the game was delayed 38 minutes by rain, and there was a 55-minute rain delay at the start of the fifth.

William VanLandingham (7-13), who lost his previous four games, was the winner, holding the Phillies to four hits and three runs in 5 2/3 innings. Rod Beck allowed an RBI single to Ruben Amaro in the ninth, but got the last three outs for his 25th save.

Bill Mueller reached base five times, going two for two with three walks for the Giants.

The loss went to Phillie starter Mike Williams (4-11), who gave up four runs and six hits in three innings.