Smith shines in season's first start

JUPITER, Fla. -- Bud Smith, who threw a no-hitter for St. Louis late last season, made his first start Monday and gave up just one run as the Cardinals beat Baltimore 13-4.

Smith faced the minimum of seven batters through 2 2/3 innings before giving up a run on Jerry Hairston's single to left that scored Geronimo Gil.

"I just started getting the ball up a little in the third," Smith said. "But overall, I'm happy. It felt good to be out there."

But by then, the Cardinals led 4-0. Edgar Renteria hit a two-run homer in the second, followed by RBIs from Kerry Robinson and Placido Polanco.

Baltimore starter Sidney Ponson gave up four runs on six hits in 3 innings, with a strikeout and a walk. St. Louis also scored six runs in the fifth inning, including a two-run homer by Mike Coolbaugh.

"Overall, we had poor command of our fastball today," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "It's still early. That's what this, spring training, is all about. If it happened a couple of weeks from now, there would be reason to worry."

St. Louis manager Tony La Russa now has watched prospective starters Andy Benes, Matt Morris, Woody Williams, Rick Ankiel and Smith each make a start. Garrett Stephenson allowed four hits and a walk over three innings in a B-level game Monday.

But Darryl Kile won't be ready until later this month following off-season arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

"I think we'll be OK but we still have to play the games," La Russa said. "There are other clubs out there that look good on paper so we have to take care of business. But we saw enough the first time through to be excited."

Smith no-hit the Padres in his first complete game in September. In that month, he went 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA. Overall, Smith was 6-3 with a 3.83 ERA with the Cardinals.