Braves Stick With Maddux’s Catcher

Eddie Perez has had a long couple of days.

First, the catcher went to Monday’s workout not knowing whether he would be benched for Atlanta’s playoff series with Houston.

He catches for only one pitcher, Greg Maddux, but because his batting average had dipped to .215, Perez was replaced by Javy Lopez the last time Maddux pitched.

“Javy told me yesterday I would start,” Perez said after catching Maddux’s 2-1 victory Tuesday. “I thought he was lying.”

During the game, Perez was unable to throw out Houston’s Tony Eusebio, who stole a base for the first time in his career. Eusebio later scored.

Perez also took a called third strike, frozen like a statue by a pitch Darryl Kile threw sidearm.

Worse, he took a foul tip right in the cup, and had the embarrassing experience of sprawling at home plate on national TV, holding his crotch.

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A 19-4 pitcher, Maddux, versus a 43-homer hitter, Jeff Bagwell, in the eighth inning of a 2-1 game, full count, man on second, two out . . .

“I felt the drama of the situation,” Bagwell said.

Maddux did not.

He said, almost yawning, “Well, I still had a base open.”

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The victory was Bobby Cox’s 39th in postseason play, the most of any manager. Casey Stengel won 37, Sparky Anderson 34, Tom Lasorda 31, and Joe McCarthy 30.