NATIONAL LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Maddux Wins, Says Focus Is on Playoffs, Not Awards

Greg Maddux doesn’t want to hear about individual awards.

He became the major leagues’ first 18-game winner Thursday, yielding five hits in eight innings as the Atlanta Braves beat the New York Mets, 3-0, at Atlanta.

Maddux (18-2) appears to have a stranglehold on his fourth consecutive Cy Young Award, and he’s getting support for the most-valuable-player award too.

“If it happens, great,” he said. “But right now you’re trying to get ready for the playoffs. You don’t get in this position very often. You don’t usually have the luxury of trying to prepare for something big. The individual stuff you kind of set aside.”

Maddux struck out nine, walked none and lowered his earned-run average to 1.68. He is trying to become the first pitcher since Walter Johnson in 1918-19 to have an ERA of less than 1.80 in two consecutive seasons. Maddux’s ERA was 1.56 last season.

Pittsburgh 4, Chicago 3--Denny Neagle struck out seven and gave up seven hits in seven innings at Chicago to lead the Pirates past the Cubs, who have lost 10 of their last 14 games and effectively dropped out of the NL wild-card race.

Neagle (13-7) earned his second consecutive victory after being winless for five weeks. Midre Cummings broke a 2-2 tie with a two-run, two-out single in the sixth inning.

Philadelphia 3, Florida 1--Michael Mimbs earned his first victory as a starter since June 22, giving up one run in 7 2/3 innings at Philadelphia. Mimbs (9-6) yielded four hits, struck out six and walked three.