ESPN.com – MLB – Box Score – Pirates at Braves

You don’t see many two-hour games anymore. Smoltz rebounded and was awesome, taking a no-hitter to the sixth. It was a one-hitter to two out in the eighth when he allowed a couple of singles, but got out of that. He struck out ten and walked only one man, that in the first. He even laid down a sac bunt that led to a couple of runs.

Martin Prado, up from Richmond (Cormier was sent down) started at second and leadoff, and he had a big game. In the third, he had an infield single that sent LaRoche to third, though Prado was thrown out trying to score from first on a Renteria double that made it 1-0. In the fifth, it was Prado who doubled (after Smoltz’s bunt), scoring Diaz and LaRoche. That was pretty much it. Wickman pitched the ninth, giving up a hit but coming right back to get the third out.

I’ve found that these well-pitched games are hard to do much of a recap on. Smoltz was great, what can I say?