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

I don’t think John Smoltz would have had it any other way. John killed tonight, seven innings, no runs, seven hits, no walks, five strikeouts. A number of the hits were of the infield variety, including two in the Mets’ biggest threat in the third, but he made the pitches when he needed to, and struck out Wright to end the inning.

The Braves got one run in the first, KJ leading off with a single, Prado (in for Chipper, who had cortisone shots in his hands) following with another, and Francoeur bringing in the run with a sac fly. Diaz led off the second with a homer. That was pretty much it for the offense, with Glavine buckling down as the game went on, as he so often does.

Soriano walked Beltran on four pitches with one out in the eighth, then went 2-0 on Wright, but rallied back for a strikeout and a popup. Wickman allowed a single leading off the ninth, then got a ground ball that was no double play candidate. KJ, for some reason, was looking to second anyway and booted it.

Randolph, however, played against the book (on the road, play for the win) and bunted the runners over. Julio Franco hit a chopper to score one run, but was out at first, and the terrifying Reyes popped up to end it.

The Braves were limited to five hits, two by Diaz. Andruw was 0-2 but he did have two walks and at least sometimes is laying off those pitches on the outside instead of trying to hit them — pulling them or to right, either way he can’t drive them.

The next goal for John would be 204 wins, which would tie him with Orel Hershiser for 100th all time (he’s currently tied for 107th).

ADDENDUM: As for Chip’s “Hall of Fame” comment… well, John’s a hard case, and while I think he’s a Hall of Famer, there are basically three lines. At 300 wins, you are definitely in the Hall of Fame (everyone with 300 wins is in except Clemens and Maddux). At 235 wins, you become a likely Hall of Famer; most of the pitchers with more than 235 are in, or will be eventually, and the ones who aren’t aren’t for good reasons, while the guys from 200 to 235 mostly are not in. 200 is where you become a credible candidate; the Hall of Famers with fewer than 200 are mostly (a) really dominant guys (the Koufax type), (b) relievers, or (c) fluke picks from the Veterans Committee.