Smoltz Strikes Out Nine, Leads Cardinals to Win in Debut

SAN DIEGO — John Smoltz had a brilliant debut with the St. Louis Cardinals, striking out a season-high nine — including seven straight — and holding San Diego to three hits over five scoreless innings in a 5-2 victory Sunday.

Smoltz also had a bunt single and scored the first run for the NL Central-leading Cardinals, who retained their eight-game lead over the Chicago Cubs. He didn’t walk a batter.

Albert Pujols hit his 40th homer, a leadoff shot to right in the fourth. It was the fifth time he’s hit 40 homers and the first since 2006, when he hit a career-high 49.

The benches and bullpens emptied momentarily after Pujols apparently thought Padres rookie Will Venable threw an elbow while being tagged out to end the sixth inning. No punches were thrown and order was quickly restored.

The 42-year-old Smoltz (1-0) signed with the Cardinals on Wednesday after he cleared waivers following his release from the Boston Red Sox. He had a dreadful performance with the Red Sox, going 2-5 with an 8.32 ERA after attempting a comeback from shoulder surgery. In six of his eight starts, he allowed five earned runs or more.

It helped that his Cardinals debut was against the Padres, who at .240 have the second-worst batting average in the majors.

The first two Padres batters reached against Smoltz, including Everth Cabrera with a leadoff infield single, but didn’t score. After getting Adrian Gonzalez to hit into a double play, Smoltz began his strikeout streak by fanning cleanup hitter Chase Headley.

Smoltz struck out the side the next two innings. Tony Gwynn snapped the streak with a single to shallow left-center leading off the fourth. Gwynn and Gonzalez were the only Padres who didn’t strike out against Smoltz.

The nine strikeouts were his most since consecutive 10-strikeout games on April 14 and 22, 2008, while with Atlanta.

In the sixth, Venable hit a slow grounder up the first-base line, Pujols fielded it and tagged him. Pujols then stared at Venable and appeared to say something. Venable turned around and repeatedly said, “What?”

The benches and bullpens emptied, and Pujols and Venable had to be separated. Pujols raised his right elbow toward Venable, as if indicating the rookie had thrown his elbow.

Ryan Franklin struck out pinch-hitter Oscar Salazar and Cabrera with the bases loaded in the ninth to earn his 32nd save in 34 chances.

Padres right-hander Cesar Carrillo (1-2) lasted two-plus innings in his third big league start. He walked Mark DeRosa leading off the third and had a 2-0 count against Yadier Molina before manager Bud Black replaced him with Edward Mujica. Carrillo allowed four runs and five hits, walked six and struck out one.

The Cardinals scored four runs with two outs in the second. Smoltz reached on a fielder’s choice and eventually scored on Brendan Ryan‘s single. Carrillo intentionally walked Pujols to load the bases, walked Matt Holliday to bring in a run and allowed Ryan Ludwick‘s two-run single.

Pujols homered off Mujica opening the fourth.

San Diego’s Nick Hundley homered on the first pitch from Jason Motte in the seventh, his fifth. Gonzalez hit an RBI single in the sixth.

Cabrera, the Padres’ shortstop, and second baseman Luis Rodriguez each made a nifty play on the front end of an inning-ending double play in the seventh. With the bases loaded, Cabrera fielded pinch-hitter Julio Lugo‘s grounder and flipped the ball with his glove to Rodriguez, who barehanded it for the force and then threw out Lugo.

NOTES: Smoltz is 17-8 with a 2.50 ERA and eight saves in 46 career games against San Diego, including 37 starts. He has won his last five starts against San Diego dating to May 9, 2007. … Pujols was intentionally walked in the second inning, the first time in 20 games. His 36 intentional walks lead the majors.