On the AP today:
John Smoltz became the 16th pitcher in major league history to reach 3,000 career strikeouts, but was outpitched by John Lannan in the Washington Nationals’ 6-0 win over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.
Smoltz fanned Felipe Lopez in the third inning, the veteran hurler’s fourth of the game, to reach the mark. He struck out 10 for the second straight start and for the 45th time in his 20-year career.
Lannan, a rookie, allowed five hits in seven innings and the Nationals snapped a three-game losing streak. Washington had lost six of seven and is just 3-15 since winning its first three games of the season.The Braves’ five-game winning streak came to an end.
Smoltz (3-1) allowed a run and five hits in seven innings, and didn’t walk a batter. Still, his ERA rose 22 points to 0.78. He got no run support from an offense that came into the game leading the NL with a .286 average.
Willie Harris’ RBI double in the second gave the Nationals a 1-0 lead. Washington added five runs in the ninth off reliever Jorge Campillo, who made a throwing error in the inning. Four of the runs were unearned.
Just two of Atlanta’s eight baserunners reached second, and none got as face as third.
Lannan gave up six runs and nine hits in his first appearance of the season against the Braves, in Washington on April 12. He was much better in his last start, Thursday at New York. In that one, Lannan struck out 11 without a walk in six innings and got a no-decision in a 3-2 loss to the Mets. Ray King and Luis Ayala pitched the eighth for Washington. Jon Rauch pitched the ninth.
-Yahoo.com
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