Smith-Shawver’s fastball was his go-to weapon, but he effectively mixed in his curveball and splitter to keep Cincinnati off balance. He walked two in the first, two more in the fourth, but then retired 10 straight before Espinal’s hit. At one point, it seemed inevitable.

A.J. Smith-Shawver carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning and the Atlanta Braves defeated the visiting Cincinnati Reds 4-0 on Monday in the opener of their three-game series. Smith-Shawver (2-2) pitched a career-high eight innings and allowed no runs on one hit -- a leadoff single by Santiago Espinal in the eighth -- with four walks and five strikeouts.

AJ Smith-Shawver was rolling right along when he realized his Atlanta Braves teammates were beginning to avoid him. The 22-year-old rookie right-hander hadn’t given up a hit against the Cincinnati Reds — and the rest of the Braves didn’t want to jinx him.