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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Reds’ Smiley Pulls A Fast One

Associated Press

National League

John Smiley had everything against him Friday night: a stomach virus that made him weak, a pulled groin that made him cautious, and two rain delays that made him woozy.

The only thing going for him was his fastball. It pulled him through.

Smiley relied on his fastball through six shutout innings Friday night, then let the Cincinnati Reds’ bullpen do the rest for a 1-0 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies.

Smiley (11-1) allowed just two hits as he won his sixth consecutive decision and remained unbeaten in nine starts since June 16. He left the game after the sixth inning bothered by the slight groin pull.

A stomach virus left Smiley unable to eat much for the last four days and forced the Reds to push his start back one day. He pitched through two rain delays on a muggy, 79-degree night.

“I was a little queasy, especially after that rain delay,” Smiley said. “I came in here and had a candy bar. I didn’t eat much today. I didn’t want to have any accidents out there.”

He looked a little haggard, but threw as if he were completely healthy. He felt a twinge in his groin in the fifth inning, pitched one more perfect inning and then left as a precaution.

Chuck McElroy pitched out of a one-out, bases-loaded threat in the seventh, and Jeff Brantley pitched the ninth to finish the combined five-hitter and earn his 23rd save.

Reggie Sanders hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning off Jeff Juden (0-1) for the winning run.

Braves 4, Expos 3

Montreal

Greg Maddux won his career-high 10th straight game as Atlanta beat Montreal. Maddux (12-1), who leads the league in wins and ERA at 1.74, allowed three runs on seven hits.

Ryan Klesko and Charlie O’Brien hit back-to-back homers off Pedro Martinez (9-7) in the second for Atlanta.

Giants 15, Dodgers 1

San Francisco

William VanLandingham allowed one run in seven innings and hit his first major-league homer, and Mark Carreon had a career-high five RBIs for San Francisco.

Marlins 7, Mets 2

New York

Jeff Conine and Kurt Abbott each drove in two runs as Florida won franchise-high seventh straight.

John Burkett (9-10) gave up eight hits and two runs in five innings to win for the third time in four decisions.

Rockies 14, Padres 12

Denver

Joe Girardi and Dante Bichette each homered and drove in four and three runs, respectively, as Colorado outslugged San Diego.

Astros 6-5, Pirates 5-4

Pittsburgh

Derek Bell drove in three runs with a go-ahead homer, double and single and Houston completed a doubleheader sweep as Pittsburgh left the bases loaded in both the eighth and ninth innings.

In the opener, Mike Simms’ two-run single completed a four-run sixth inning that made it 5-5, and James Mouton followed Orlando Miller’s one-out double with a run-scoring single in the ninth off Jason Christiansen (1-1).

Clearing the bases

Phillies shortstop Kevin Stocker, from Central Valley High, came into the game on a 7-for-14 tear, but went 0 for 3. … St. Louis second baseman Geronimo Pena, on the DL for the third time this season and the ninth time in his career, had seasonending knee surgery.