Braves’ Smoltz first to 200 wins, 150 saves

ATLANTA —  John Smoltz became baseball’s first pitcher with 200 wins and 150 saves, achieving the feat by throwing seven shutout innings to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 2-1 win over the New York Mets on Thursday night.

Smoltz talked Wednesday of treating his third start of the season against his friend and former teammate Tom Glavine as a normal game, but the milestone changed that.

“I downplayed it as long as I possibly could,” Smoltz said. “I tried not to think about it in any different fashion, but it was just a different game.”

It was different because so much was on the line, including Smoltz’s 200th career win, but the Atlanta ace extended his string of strong starts this season.

The Braves won two of three in the series and improved to 6-3 against the Mets this season while cutting New York’s lead in the National League East to 1 1/2 games.

“We’re not concerned,” said New York’s Shawn Green. “ ... It’s going to be a battle all year.”

Smoltz, 40, gave up seven hits without a walk and struck out five. In consecutive wins over Boston and the Mets, Smoltz has thrown 14 scoreless innings while giving up 10 hits and one walk. He lowered his earned-run average from 2.85 to 2.58.

Glavine also pitched well, giving up five hits and two runs in six innings for the Mets, who were denied their sixth straight series win.

Bob Wickman pitched out of trouble in the ninth. After a leadoff single by Carlos Delgado, Green hit a grounder to second base that Kelly Johnson bobbled. Ruben Gotay bunted the runners to second and third, and Delgado scored on a ground out by pinch hitter Julio Franco. Wickman got Reyes to pop to short with the tying runner on third to end the game for his seventh save in nine chances.

Smoltz saved an Atlanta-record 154 games as the Braves’ closer from 2001 to 2004.