Moss a Big Hit in Victory

No worries for Damian Moss, even though he didn’t get a chance to finish his no-hit bid.

The Atlanta Brave rookie from Australia was pulled for a pinch-hitter after seven innings and 116 pitches Friday night.

“I knew about the no-hitter, but that was the last thing on my mind,” Moss said. “Obviously, I was getting there and the bullpen’s been great all year, so that’s a wise choice to make.”

St. Louis got its first hit on Fernando Vina’s one-out single in the eighth off reliever Mike Remlinger. Chipper Jones hit a two-run homer in the 11th, and the Braves defeated the Cardinals, 2-1.

Moss, making his sixth career start, was wild in his longest outing in the majors. He walked seven--including two in the seventh inning--and bounced a handful of deliveries to the plate.

Moss had only two 1-2-3 innings, and was helped by a double play in his last inning. At that point, Brave Manager Bobby Cox decided Moss had pitched enough.

“I wanted to see him throw a no-hitter worse than you guys,” Cox said. “But he had so many pitches he wasn’t going to make nine anyway, and he was tired, he was done.

“I think he’d rather have a good arm next year rather than a no-hitter.”

Pinch-hitter Keith Lockhart, who was in the on-deck circle when the last out of the seventh was made, grounded out batting for Moss leading off the eighth.

Vina broke up the no-hit bid with a single off Remlinger’s glove.

Cardinal starter Matt Morris was almost as good as Moss, giving up three hits in eight scoreless innings.