• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Smoltz returns from disabled list to face Reds

Jul 18, 2007 - 2:03 PM Cincinnati(39-55) at Atlanta (50-44) 1:05 pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- John Smoltz makes his return to the rotation as the Atlanta Braves look to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.

Smoltz (9-5, 3.07 ERA) has been sidelined since July 3 with inflammation in his right shoulder.

The former Cy Young Award winner last pitched the day before, allowing three runs and seven hits in six innings of an 8-2 loss at the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Smoltz is 19-11 with a 3.05 ERA in 44 games - 37 starts - against Cincinnati in his 19-year career.

The Reds captured their seventh win in 10 games on Tuesday as Bronson Arroyo threw seven scoreless innings and Brandon Phillips drove in two runs in 6-5 win. Cincinnati improved to 8-4 under interim manager Pete Mackanin.

Phillips has been on fire as of late, hitting .368 (21-for-57) with five homers and 17 RBI in his last 13 games.

Along with Phillips, Aaron Harang (10-2, 3.70) has been a bright spot for the last-place Reds.

Harang will try and move into a tie for the National League lead in wins with 11. In his last outing, the reigning NL strikeout king limited the New York Mets to three runs and seven hits in six innings for his fifth straight win.