"We jumped on Smoltzie pretty good and Jordan went out there and kept getting the first guy out." --Willie Harris, June 25, 2009. THE RESULT : The Washington Nationals hung four runs on certain Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz in the first inning and cruised to a 9-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox before 41,985 at Nationals Park. Nats starter Jordan Zimmermann (W, 3-3, 4.65) was fairly dominant, giving up just one earned run on five hits and one walk, and he struck out six Sox hitters along the way. Smoltz, making his first start of the year and first appearance for the A.L. East-leading Red Sox, gave up five earned on seven hits, one walk, one hit batter, and struck out five. The veteran right hander was making his first start in over a year after surgery for a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. "Most of the time when the line score is the way it is, I'm going to be very disappointed, but I really can't at this point," Smoltz said. "I lost a little rhythm there in the first inning ... but very ...
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Red Sox 3 Nationals 9
duelingcouches.blogspot.com 6/26/2009 — Wow this game was hard to watch. Smoltz let up 4 runs in the first inning. He seemed to not want to throw his fastball, and he was missing up in the zone with offspeed pitches, which led to him getting crushed. It wasn't all bad. After that inning Smoltz went on to pitch 4 innings of 1 run ...
Sox Ran Into Those Pesky Nat’s!
bosoxinjection.com 6/26/2009 — After winning the first two games of the series by scores of 11-3 and 6-4, in rather easy fashion. The Boston Red Sox were looking for a sweep of the Washington Nationals in our Nation’s Capital. Unfortunately for Boston that didn’t happen, as the Sox ran into those pesky ...
He's Back Baby!
drivelinemechanics.com 6/26/2009 — Based on John Smoltz's first start for the Red Sox, what does Pitch F/X say about his stuff compared to the past?
Nats rough up Smoltz in first start for Red Sox
sports.espn.go.com 6/26/2009 — The Washington Nationals hit John Smoltz hard by pulling pitches high in the strike zone the first time through the lineup, scoring all the runs they would need in Thursday night's 9-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
Zimmermann Defeats Red Sox, Smoltz —
Nationals Journal 6/26/2009
John Smoltz joined the Boston Red Sox in the hope of a reinvention. He has been a starter, a closer and a starter again. He has learned to throw sidearm. And in this latest incarnation, he was looking for a fresh start with a new team. But the ...
Nationals 9, Red Sox 3 —
NYT > Baseball 6/26/2009
WASHINGTON (AP) -- John Smoltz allowed four of the first five batters to score before settling down in his first major league game in more than a year. The Washington Nationals hit him hard by pulling pitches high in the strike zone the first time ...