Schilling Shuts Out Braves

Curt Schilling expected to be celebrating this moment about eight months ago.

Schilling, his career back on track after shoulder surgery, scattered 11 hits for his 100th career victory and the Philadelphia Phillies stopped Atlanta's home winning streak, blanking the Braves 6-0 Saturday night.

There was a giant bottle of champagne waiting for Schilling when he arrived at his locker. He couldn't believe it took so long to reach the landmark.

"It's about eight months late," said Schilling, who won for the first time since Sept. 3. "I expected this a long time ago. I was sitting there at 15-6 last season and I was still 15-6 at Christmastime. But you have to take what you're dealt."

Schilling (1-1) missed the first month of this season while on a rehab stint in the minors, finally making his first start last Sunday. He went six innings against St. Louis, allowing four runs and seven hits in a 4-3 loss.

Against the Braves, who had set a franchise record by winning 12 in a row at Turner Field, he looked like the Schilling of old.

"That's what gets you through (an injury), believing it can be like this again," he said.

Atlanta loaded the bases in the ninth with three singles, but Schilling struck out pinch-hitter Andres Galarraga on three fastballs to end the game. The last pitch Schilling's 125th of the night was clocked at 96 mph.

"That was everything I had at the time," he said.

Schilling, who improved his career record to 100-84, struck out nine, walked only one and benefited from two double plays.

The Braves set the home winning streak on Friday night when Andruw Jones hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning for a thrilling 6-5 victory.

There was no comeback against Schilling. He didn't allow a hit through the first three innings, then stranded 10 runners the rest of the way for his 14th career shutout. The Braves had two hits in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings and three more in the ninth.

Each time, Schilling made the big pitch to escape.

"When he takes the mound, we feel like we're going to win," teammate Ron Gant said. "He's like a breath of fresh air to our ballclub. He showed tonight why he's so valuable. He's definitely one of the game's best."

Chipper Jones, who had two of the Braves' hits, also was impressed with Schilling.

"He's a workhorse," Jones said. "Maybe he wasn't consistently 95 or 96, but as long as he has his location, it doesn't matter. He has a good split-finger, a good slider. He looked none the worse to me."

The Phillies scored three runs in the second against Kevin Millwood (3-1), who had won nine straight decisions dating back to last Aug. 8.

Desi Relaford had an RBI double before Doug Glanville came through with a two-out, two-run double that one-hopped the wall in right.

Philadelphia made it 4-0 in the third on Mike Lieberthal's run-scoring single and added another run in the sixth when Gant blooped an RBI single that bounced off the glove of Atlanta shortstop Rafael Furcal. Scott Rolen homered in the ninth against John Burkett for the final run.

Millwood, who closed last season with six straight wins, allowed five runs, nine hits and three walks in six innings.

"These nights happen," he said. "My control wasn't the best and my selection wasn't the greatest. I didn't pitch a good ballgame. When that happens, I'm not going to win the ballgame."

Schilling, meanwhile, won against an Atlanta team that was missing two-thirds of its starting utfield. Reggie Sanders went on the disabled list earlier in the day with a sprained ankle, while Brian Jordan was scratched because of a sore rib muscle.

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