LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The stroll to the bullpen was familiar, if only distantly so.

John Smoltz had made that same walk so many times, but not for some time.

The 37-year-old made his first start Sunday since June 2001, throwing two scoreless innings against the Mets in a game the Braves held on to win, 8-7, at Cracker Jack Stadium.

"There's something special about walking out there to get ready for a game," said Smoltz, moved back into the starting rotation after three-plus years as the team's closer. "To say that I didn't think that was neat again would be lying."

Smoltz got the first three batters in order in the first and got out of trouble in the second to complete his scheduled outing unscathed.

Former Brave Andres Galarraga, a New York non-roster invitee, opened the second with a broken-bat single. Catcher Victor Diaz followed with a hit to left.

The first-and-second, no-out jam was extinguished when Galarraga was caught stealing at third, Jason Phillips grounded to second and Aaron Baldiris was struck out looking.

"I had fun and didn't overthrow a pitch," said Smoltz, who used his four pitches - fastball, curve, splitter and slider - in the first inning alone. "That's what I wanted to do."

Sure, the 28 pitches thrown weren't any sort of real departure from the work he'd gotten coming out the bullpen, but it was the theory behind Sunday's tosses - what he's working toward - that was the real difference.

In fact, Smoltz was so bent on progress that he lobbied for one more inning from manager Bobby Cox. He didn't get too far with that plea, however.

"He wanted another one. They all do sometimes," Cox said. "But two's two."

Cox said, ultimately, necessity is what brought Smoltz back to the rotation. Before Tim Hudson was acquired, Atlanta picked up Danny Kolb in early December to close. That move meant Smoltz, who had not-so-secretly pined for a return to starter, had received his wish.

"I still maintain it was just a blip on the radar screen," Smoltz said of closing. "When something's in your heart - when you really believe in something - it's kind of hard to just cast it to the side."

Reach Travis Haney at travis.haney@morris.com.