Atlanta, GA – Burch Smith took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before earning his first major league victory in the San Diego Padres' 4-0 triumph over the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.
Smith (1-1) allowed three hits in all over a sensational seven-inning stint in which the rookie struck out a career-high 10 batters. He got support from Chase Headley, who homered for a third straight day while finishing 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI.
"It's good to get that one out of the way. I don't have that hanging over my head anymore," said Smith of obtaining his inaugural win. "It's a good team win. Good defense, a lot of guys stepped up at the plate."
Tommy Medica added a solo homer, while Will Venable had three hits and scored a run to help San Diego take the rubber match of this three-game set and deal the Braves their first series loss at home since the All-Star break.
Atlanta had its magic number to clinch the NL East remain at four with the setback. Julio Teheran (12-8) worked 6 2/3 innings for the Braves and surrendered all four runs on seven hits while striking out six.
The Braves lead second-place Washington by 10 games and need to take two of three in their upcoming road series with the Nationals to take the division.
"We feel like we're alright," said Braves third baseman Chris Johnson afterward. "We're going to go in [Washington], try to win some ball games. It's a good thing [that] if we win the series, we win the division."
Both starting pitchers were on top of their games for much of the day, with Teheran setting down 14 straight hitters after giving up a pair of first- inning singles and Smith retiring the first 11 men he faced while yielding only a pair of walks over the opening five frames.
Venable ended Teheran's stretch with a one-out single in the top of the sixth and later stole second in front of Jedd Gyorko's two-out hit to left that snapped the scoreless deadlock. The Padres' lead was soon 3-0, as Headley followed with a blast into the right-field seats on a full-count pitch from Teheran.
Teheran spoiled Smith's no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth, and the Braves later put two on in the inning before the young hurler got Freddie Freeman and Evan Gattis out in succession to end the threat.
Medica extended San Diego's advantage to 4-0 with his second homer as a major leaguer, a drive just inside the foul pole in left to begin the seventh.
Game Notes
Atlanta's last series loss at Turner Field came against Miami from July 2-4. The Braves have gone 21-7 at home since the All-Star break and had won eight consecutive series as the host ... Freeman extended his hitting streak to seven games with a leadoff double off Huston Street in the ninth ...The Padres won five of their six matchups with Atlanta this season.
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