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

Not only did we have the same score as last night, it followed pretty much the same script, albeit with a couple of grizzled veterans instead of rookies in the leading roles. Smoltz was strong; Maddux was stronger. Like old times, albeit with Greg in the wrong uniform. Smoltz allowed solo homers in the second and third innings, plus five other hits, but didn’t walk anyone and struck out seven. Maddux, meanwhile, had pretty much shut down the Braves into the fifth, when the team of Woodward (playing shortstop and hitting eighth again) and Harris (in the 2-spot) struck to cut the lead to 2-1.

Andruw reached in the sixth on an “infield single” that was pretty clearly an error by Maddux, who apparently took his eye off the ball. You win all those Gold Gloves, I guess they’re reluctant to charge an error. Andruw stole second (Greg still doesn’t hold runners) and went to third on a groundout, at which point Maddux was pulled, apparently by his own choice, having thrown only 72 pitches. He got a standing ovation.

Cla (Y Not?) Meredith came in and got Francoeur on the first pitch and Thorman on the second to end the inning, then stayed in the game. He got the first two, Woodward and the pinch-“hitter” Orr. But KJ pulled a single past Marcus, and Harris did the same, then Chipper hit a ground-rule double to score KJ and tie the game. (There was some grumbling that Harris would have scored had the ball bounced over, but I like the rule; let’s not give the umpires any judgment calls we can avoid.) Then Joe Simpson had a religious experience when Andruw singled to dead right field to score Harris, though Chipper had to be held up because the ball was right at the right fielder.

From then on, it was the Automatic Lefty (foulout, strikeout, 1-3 groundout) and the Automatic Righty (strikeout, foulout, strikeout), Braves win.