Braves Lock Up Another Division Title

Another year, another division title for the Braves.

Atlanta became the first team to win six consecutive division championships, clinching the National League East when the Florida Marlins lost to the New York Mets prior to the Braves’ 3-2 victory in 11 innings over the Montreal Expos on Monday night at Atlanta.

“It’s hard to put six in perspective,” Tom Glavine said. “It certainly puts this team in a special place in history.”

Steven Kline threw a third-strike wild pitch to Mike Mordecai with the bases loaded, allowingDanny Bautista to score the winning run. By then, the division title already belonged to Atlanta.

The Braves eclipsed the division-title record of the Oakland Athletics, who won five consecutive American League West championships from 1971-75. Atlanta moved eight games ahead of the Marlins.

The teams could meet again in the NL championship series. Florida needs only one victory to secure a wild-card berth.

“It’s so hard to win one division,” General Manager John Schuerholz said. “Six? It’s incredible. I’ve got to credit all the guys in here. They are fighters.”

In the bottom of the eighth, the Braves had a chance to break a 2-2 tie and give Greg Maddux his 20th victory when they loaded the bases with one out. But Danny Bautista struck out and Andruw Jones popped weakly to short.

“Sure, I want to win 20,” said Maddux, at 19-4 one of the top contenders for an unprecedented fifth Cy Young Award. “But I really want a [World Series] ring.”

Maddux, who gave up 11 hits in eight innings, indicated that he’s likely to skip his final start, even though that would deny him a chance for the third 20-victory season of his career.

Maddux actually walked a batter for the first time in 38 consecutive innings over five starts when Bradley Fullmer was intentionally passed in the eighth. It was Maddux’s 20th walk in 232 2/3 innings.

New York 10, Florida 3--Carlos Baerga hit a three-run homer and Bobby Jones pitched eight strong innings as the Mets won at Miami to prevent the Marlins from clinching the first playoff berth in their five-year history in their final regular season home game.

The Marlins need one victory or one loss by the Dodgers to clinch. The Marlins play their final six games on the road, beginning today at Montreal.

Nothing went right for the Marlins, who have lost 11 of their last 18 games. Gary Sheffield’s ground-rule double set off scoreboard fireworks normally reserved for home runs.

Florida pitchers walked eight, including three with the bases loaded. Rookie Livan Hernandez (9-3) lasted only 2 1/3 innings, his shortest outing this year. And third baseman Bobby Bonilla’s error led to two unearned runs in a six-run third inning.

The Mets remained one loss away from elimination for the third consecutive day.

Houston 6, Cincinnati 3--Jeff Bagwell became the Astros’ first 30-30 player and the Astros reduced their magic number to three for clinching the NL Centrali.

The Astros, who have a 3 1/2- game lead over the Pittsburgh Pirates, scored four runs in the eighth inning at Cincinnati to move a step closer to their first division title since 1986.

Bagwell doubled twice, walked three times, stole two bases and extended his hitting streak to nine games. Bagwell, who has a club-record 42 homers, doubled home a run in the first inning and stole third for No. 30. He’s the first full-time first baseman to steal 30 bases and hit 30 homers in a season.

Pittsburgh 3, St. Louis 1--Jason Schmidt gave up four hits in seven innings and had a fifth-inning double as the Pirates won at Pittsburgh.

Mark McGwire, who has 54 homers, was hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts and finished the series one for 15. He is hitless in 12 at-bats since homering in the fifth inning last Friday.

Until the Pirate series, McGwire had not gone more than two games without homering this month. He must hit seven homers in the Cardinals’ final six games to match Roger Maris’ record of 61 homers in 1961.

Schmidt (10-8) became the fourth Pirates’ pitcher to win at least 10 games--two more have nine wins--by limiting the Cardinals to one run on four hits, striking out four and walking five.

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BESTS OF THE DAY

BATTING

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Player Team Performance Team’s Result Calos Baerga New York 3-run home run Win Jeff Bagwell Houston 2 doubles, 3 walks, 2 stolen bases, RBI Win Tony Gwynn San Diego 4 for 5 Loss

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PITCHING

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Player Team Performance Team’s Result Bobby Jones New York 8 innings 2 runs, 5 hits Win Jason Schmidt Pittsburgh 7 innings, 1 run, 4 hits, 4 strikeouts Win

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