It’s Maddux at His Best in Braves’ Victory

The Atlanta Braves needed a victory, and Greg Maddux delivered.

Maddux struck out a career-high 13 and became the National League’s first 11-game winner, pitching the Braves past the Toronto Blue Jays, 2-0, Saturday night at Atlanta.

The victory ended the Braves’ three-game losing streak and was only their third in 10 games. Maddux also put an end to Toronto’s season-high six-game winning streak.

Maddux said there wasn’t any added pressure on him to come through.

“I only get to pitch every fifth day regardless of what the team has done in the last week or so,” he said. “I just go out there and pitch the same as always.”

And it was plenty good, one of his better efforts.

“It’s right up there,” Maddux said.

“That’s about as good as it gets,” Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox said. “He was outstanding. Has he thrown any better? I think last year against the Yankees was the best I’ve ever seen him, but this was real close.”

That was a 2-0 victory on July 2 when he beat the Yankees on a three-hitter, striking out eight without a walk.

“Yeah. That was it, definitely,” Maddux said.

Why?

“It was at Yankee Stadium, against a team that had won the World Series and it was on the road,” he said.

Maddux (11-2) is 9-0 in his last 12 starts and leads the majors with a 1.64 earned-run average and three shutouts. The four-time Cy Young winner earned his 100th victory since signing with the Braves as a free agent before the 1993 season.

Maddux said the key to his 13 strikeouts was his changeup, which he threw about every four or -five pitches of the 104 he threw.

Maddux walked none and gave up eight hits in his fifth complete game of the year. The game took only 1 hour 46 minutes, the fastest in the majors this year.

Michael Tucker and Ryan Klesko hit home runs in the seventh inning off Juan Guzman (4-10).

Houston 9, Cleveland 5--Moises Alou hit an RBI single in the 11th inning against Jose Mesa, and Carl Everett followed with a three-run homer for the Astros at Cleveland.

Everett’s homer punctuated a home-run derby that featured six long balls, three by each team.

Alou drove in Derek Bell with a two-out single off Mesa (3-4) as thunderclaps rumbled in the distance. Everett then added his eighth homer to right.

New York Yankees 7, New York Mets 2--The Yankees made it two in a row over the cross-town Mets, getting a strong start from pitcher Andy Pettitte and a three-run homer from Tino Martinez at Shea Stadium.

The much-hyped, three-game matchup for New York baseball bragging rights has become a one-sided affair, with the Mets needing to win tonight’s nationally televised game to avoid a sweep.

Montreal 3, Baltimore 1--Pinch-hitter Scott Livingstone doubled in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning as the Expos defeated the Orioles, extending Baltimore’s losing streak to five games at Montreal.

Carl Pavano (2-1) limited the Orioles to four hits in seven innings, giving up the only run on Chris Hoiles’ second-inning homer.

Milwaukee 10, Chicago White Sox 5--Marquis Grissom doubled to highlight a five-run third inning at Chicago and the Brewers won their sixth in a row.

Fernando Vina, who hit two of Milwaukee’s seven doubles, Jeromy Burnitz and Jose Valentin each drove in two runs for the Brewers.

Grissom’s two-run double helped Milwaukee win for the 13th time in 19 games and improve to 7-3 in interleague play.

Tampa Bay 5, Philadelphia 1--Pinch-hitter Paul Sorrento hit a grand slam off Phillie ace Curt Schilling in the eighth inning to lead the Devil Rays at Philadelphia.

Schilling (7-8) gave up a career-high 13 hits and all five runs after giving up 12 hits and eight runs Monday in a no-decision against Boston. He pitched 7 1/3 innings and struck out eight to increase his major league-leading total to 175.

Boston 9, Florida 4--Nomar Garciaparra extended his hitting streak to 19 games and Mike Benjamin drove in three runs to lift the Red Sox at Miami.

Garciaparra’s streak is tied for the second-longest in the majors this season, one behind Larry Walker’s string for Colorado.

Garciaparra had two hits, drove in a run and scored one. He had reached base in eight consecutive plate appearances against the Marlins before flying out in the eighth inning.

Kansas City 4, Chicago Cubs 3--Johnny Damon’s two-out single off Rod Beck in the 10th inning pushed the Royals past the Cubs at Kansas City, Mo., the Royals’ ninth victory in 11 games and the Cubs’ seventh consecutive loss.

Scott Service (2-1) earned the victory as Royal relievers retired the last 15 Cubs in a row. Beck (1-2) took the loss.

Oakland 8, Colorado 6--Rookie Ben Grieve hit a two-out, three-run homer in the ninth inning, rallying the Athletics at Denver.

Bip Roberts also homered and drove in three runs for the A’s, who trailed, 5-2, before mounting a comeback in the eighth and ninth.

Cincinnati 6, Detroit 5--Brook Fordyce and Lenny Harris hit RBI singles in the 13th inning at Detroit and the Reds won their third in a row.

Mike Frank walked to lead off the 13th and advanced to second on a sacrifice. Barry Larkin was intentionally walked with two outs and Fordyce singled for a 5-4 lead, taking second on the throw home.

After Dmitri Young was intentionally walked, Harris singled. Gabe White (2-3) pitched two innings for the victory. Gabe Alvarez homered in the 13th, his third since being called up from the minors on Monday.

Seattle 6, Arizona 4--Jeff Fassero pitched 6 2/3 strong innings and Alex Rodriguez hit his 27th homer as the Mariners won at Phoenix.

Fassero (6-5) gave up two runs and seven hits, including Yamil Benitez’s 452-foot solo shot into the second deck in the second inning. The left-hander had a season-high nine strikeouts.

Ken Griffey Jr., who strained his left hamstring the previous night, was 0 for 5 with three strikeouts.