"I'd hate to see him with all his fingers," Boston manager Terry Francona said of Smoltz after the Sox, 13-3 winners in the first game, fell by an even more lopsided 14-0 score in the second game.
But despite their worst shutout loss in 17 years (16-0, May 25, 1990 at Minnesota), the Sox still gained on the Yankees, who lost another starter, rookie Darrell Rasner, two batters into their 10-7 loss to the Mets with a fractured index finger.
The Yankees dropped to fourth place, 10 1/2 games behind the Sox. They've never been this far behind since 1995, a year before the Joe Torre era began . The Orioles, who beat the Nationals in extra innings, are 9 1/2 back, and the Blue Jays, 13-2 winners over the Phillies, are 10 games behind. The Sox started the day with a 10-game lead over the Orioles and Yankees, only the second time in history that a team has led by as many as 10 games as early as 40 games into a season. The Seattle Mariners, who won an American League-record 116 games in 2001, had a 10-game lead after 35 games.
But after burying the Braves yesterday afternoon before a crowd of 36,358 that watched the Sox hit four home runs, Boston ended the night with Alex Cora making his big league debut at first base, Dustin Pedroia batting in the cleanup spot, and Smoltz, the Eck of his era (199 wins, 154 saves), winning for the first time since turning 40 Tuesday.
"He has always been a big-game pitcher," said Braves manager Bobby Cox after Smoltz allowed just three hits in seven innings against a team that had a season-high 18 hits in the opener. "Not that tonight was a big game, but after getting slaughtered in the first one, I thought he came out big."
Rookie Devern Hansack, meanwhile, was a one-game pitcher. Called up when Josh Beckett was placed on the disabled list, Hansack was optioned back to Pawtucket after the game, clearing space for this afternoon's starter, rookie Kason Gabbard.
