Left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes gets another start Wednesday, this time against the Phillies in Philadelphia. And he is not the only one hoping this start is more like the 9-1 win over the Reds on May 3 instead of the 2 2/3 innings he pitched May 8 against the Padres before a blister threatened to form on his left index finger.

"He's in John Smoltz's spot," third baseman Chipper Jones points out. "So I say he's pretty important. The kid can pitch here. There's no doubt about it. He's got the stuff to pitch here. The only question is, can he stay in the strike zone consistently?"

Manager Bobby Cox thinks Reyes can do it because his command is better, thanks to his work with pitching coach Roger McDowell, who says it was a matter of adjusting Reyes' footwork.

"Command," Cox intones, speaking of the difference between Reyes this season and last. "Getting ahead of the hitters more. Confidence. The more you go out, the better you get.

"He's got enough confidence now to think he's going to have a good one every time out."

"I think he feels like he belongs," says catcher Brian McCann. "You know, when you first come up, you don't know where you fit in. He comes up this time, his confidence is through the roof."

Typically, Jones is more realistic. "Now," he says, "he's got to use his ability to go six, seven innings."

PIRATES 5, BRAVES 0 (Game 1): The Braves couldn't beat the Pirates even though the Bucs committed four errors. The Braves left 15 men on base, once again unable to deliver even the most modest hit.

BRAVES 8, PIRATES 1 (Game 2): Right-hander Tim Hudson stopped the Pirates' bats and the Braves bats finally produced hits, notably catcher Brian McCann's three-run home run in the fifth inning. Center fielder Mark Kotsay also drove in three runs.

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