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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- If Curt Schilling pitched against Atlanta
all the time, his comeback from shoulder surgery would be complete.
Schilling won for the first time in over a month, striking out a
season-high 11 Friday night to lead the Philadelphia Phillies over
Tom Glavine and the Braves 2-1.
| | Phillies pitcher Curt Schilling delivers against the Braves in the first inning Friday. Schilling has a 1.64 ERA against Atlanta this year. |
"You always get pumped up to face the Braves because you know
you'll be facing an ace, you know you don't have chances to make a
mistake and you know they can hit the ball." Schilling said. "This is the best hitting team they've had in 10 years and you're going to be in a tight game more times than not."
While he is 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA against the Braves, the
33-year-old right-hander is 0-4 with an 8.07 ERA in his other
starts.
"It's coincidence," Schilling said.
The ace of the Phillies' staff, Schilling had the team's highest
ERA coming in (6.34), which prompted him to throw extra batting
practice Monday, a day after his previous start.
Schilling (2-4), backed by Mike Lieberthal's two-run homer,
allowed five hits in eight innings and walked two, reaching double
digits in strikeouts for the first time since last July 4. He
lowered his ERA to 5.62.
"It helps, but it's only one game," Schilling said. "It's
been a long six weeks."
In the eighth, he fanned Chipper Jones and Andres Galarraga with
no outs and runners on first and third. After a walk to Brian
Jordan loaded the bases, he struck out Javier Lopez. Jeff Brantley
finished for his seventh save in seven chances.
"The eighth inning was vintage Curt Schilling," Jones said.
"He went to another gear."
Schilling credited the crowd of 20,495 for giving him the
adrenaline to reach back and take his game to a higher level.
"The eighth inning was a direct result of the fans," he said.
"This is the loudest city in sports when it's right."
Since shutting out the Braves on 11 hits on May 6 _ his second
start following offseason shoulder surgery _ Schilling had been 0-4
with an 8.05 ERA.
Jones gave Atlanta a 1-0 lead in the fourth with his 15th homer,
but Lieberthal homered off the backdrop in left-center following
Mickey Morandini's leadoff single in the bottom half.
Glavine (7-3) allowed just four hits in eight innings, struck
out five and walked one. He retired nine of 10 before Morandini's
single in the fourth, and allowed only one hit after Lieberthal's
homer.
"We've had three great pitched games in a row and won only one
of them," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said. "Tom Glavine pitched
really good, but he made just one bad pitch to Lieberthal."
Schilling struck out six in the first five innings, his fastball
reaching 96 mph in the eighth.
"When he needed it most, he reached back," Phillies manager
Terry Francona said. "There was no room for him to do anything but
what he did."
Game notes
Schilling has reached double digits in strikeouts 47 times.
... Seven of Atlanta's last nine batters struck out. ... Lieberthal
threw out Veras in the first inning and has nailed seven of the
last 10 runners attempting to steal. ... Jones extended his hitting
streak to 15 with the homer. ... The game marked the first time two
University of Pennsylvania alums faced each other in the majors.
Phillies center fielder Doug Glanville and Atlanta shortstop Mark
DeRosa both played baseball for the Quakers. DeRosa also played
quarterback for Penn. ... Desi Relaford committed two errors. He
leads the majors with 18 despite being the last starting shortstop
in the NL to make an error this season.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Atlanta Clubhouse
Philadelphia Clubhouse
RECAPS
Boston 7 Toronto 4
Detroit 5 Cleveland 2
Chi. White Sox 3 NY Yankees 1
Tampa Bay 9 Texas 2
Baltimore 4 Anaheim 3
Oakland 8 Kansas City 3
Minnesota 7 Seattle 2
Chicago Cubs 9 Montreal 8
Florida 8 Pittsburgh 3
Philadelphia 2 Atlanta 1
NY Mets 7 Milwaukee 1
Arizona 0 Colorado 0
San Diego 8 Cincinnati 5
St. Louis 6 Los Angeles 3
San Francisco 7 Houston 4
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