The 6-foot-7, 220-pound hurler surrendered only five hits while holding the Express scoreless until the final inning as the Cardinals took a 3-1 victory in Western Canadian Baseball League action in Yorkton.
The Express fell to 19-15 with the loss and remain 4 ½ games back of the Eastern Division-leading Weyburn Beavers (22-9) and Regina Red Sox (23-10) while moving six games up on the Melville Millionaires for the final playoff spot.
Yorkton improved to 3-30 and remains in last place in the division.
Smith nearly escaped with a complete game shut-out, as he recorded the first two outs of the ninth inning before Cole Warken reached on an error and came around to score on a double by Geordie McDougall.
McDougall and Jeremy Santos were the only Miller Express batters with multiple hits, each going 2-for-4.
Nick Portillo got the start for Moose Jaw and had a solid game in his own right, giving up three runs on four hits in five innings of work. Reliever Alex Orenczuk was just as effective over the final three innings, holding Yorkton without a hit while striking out a pair.
The Miller Express are back in action this afternoon for a doubleheader in Weyburn, with Nick Falco getting the start for Moose Jaw and Sawyer Strickland on the mound for the Beavers in game one.
