Braves, Maddux Downplay Milestones

The Atlanta Braves didn’t feel as though they had achieved anything worth celebrating.

They clinched their unprecedented ninth consecutive trip to the playoffs and Greg Maddux extended his shutout streak to 36 1/3 innings in a 10-0 rout of the Montreal Expos on Saturday night at Montreal.

“We knew we were going to the playoffs about two weeks ago, so it’s not that big a deal,” Maddux said.

Reggie Sanders had six runs batted in for the Braves, who remained 3 1/2 games ahead of New York in the National League East.

The Braves ensured they will do no worse than win the NL wild-ard berth and lowered their magic number for clinching their ninth consecutive division title to five.

“I think our biggest goal right now is to win our division and try to get some home-field advantage,” Maddux said. “If we do win our division, who knows, we might break out a bottle or two.”

Maddux (19-8) gave up two hits in seven innings, tied his career high with 13 strikeouts and walked one, lowering his earned-run average to 2.96. He has given up 18 hits during his shutout streak, which began on Sept. 2, and won five consecutive starts.

“Mr. Maddux is the story,” Expo Manager Felipe Alou said. “He was really, really sharp tonight. We know he’s been on a roll with a lot of shutouts and strikeouts. All of a sudden, he’s a strikeout guy again. You’ve got to give him credit.”

Maddux struck out the side in order in the first and fifth, and was perfect in the first, third, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, retiring his last 11 batters following Jose Vidro’s one-out single in the fourth.

Arizona 7-5, San Francisco 5-9--Miguel Del Toro won his first major league start and drove in two runs with his first hit in the majors as the Giants won the second game of a day-night doubleheader at San Francisco.

Luis Gonzalez hit a three-run homer in each game for Arizona and had eight RBIs on the day.

In the late game, Marvin Benard had a two-run triple and Bobby Estalella drove in three with a pinch-hit double as the Giants won for the first time since clinching the NL West title on Thursday.

In the first game, Matt Williams and Gonzalez each hit a three-run homer as the Diamondbacks took an early six-run lead and held on win.

New York 7, Philadelphia 3--Mike Hampton struck out nine, matching his season high, and Edgardo Alfonzo homered as the Mets won at Philadelphia.

Mike Piazza was two for four with two RBIs for New York, which lowered its magic number for clinching a playoff berth to three.

Hampton (14-10) won for the first time in five starts, giving up three runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings.

St. Louis 6, Chicago 5--Placido Polanco tied a career high by driving in four runs, overcoming Mark Grace’s 1,000th career RBI and leading the Cardinals at Chicago.

Polanco hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the second and added an RBI single in the sixth against Joey Nation (0-1), who made his major league debut.

Grace hit an RBI single in the seventh, becoming the seventh Cub to reach 1,000 RBIs.

Florida 3, Colorado 1--Preston Wilson homered, doubled and scored twice at Denver as the Marlins won a rain-shortened game that ended in the seventh inning.

Pitching in a persistent drizzle and a wind chill in the high 20s, Chuck Smith (5-6) gave up one run and four hits in six-plus innings for the Marlins, who handed Colorado its seventh loss in eight games.

Pittsburgh 4-4, Milwaukee 2-5--Keith Osik’s throwing error allowed Lou Collier to score the winning run in the 10th inning at Milwaukee as the Brewers rallied from a four-run deficit to split a doubleheader.

Jose Silva gave up four hits in seven innings, and Kevin Young homered as the Pirates beat Jeff D’Amico in the opener.

In the second game, Collier led off the 10th with a walk against Bronson Arroyo (2-6) and moved to second on Raul Casanova’s bunt. After Geoff Jenkins was intentionally walked, the runners advanced on a passed ball.

Richie Sexson swung through a 3-1 pitch. Osik, trying to pick Collier off third, threw wildly into left field, scoring the winning run.

Cincinnati 6, Houston 4--Alex Ochoa and Chris Stynes hit consecutive home runs in the eighth inning following a long rain delay, leading the Reds at Cincinnati.

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By the Numbers

A look at Greg Maddux’s scoreless innings streak:

Innings: 36 1/3

Hits: 18

Walks: 1

Strikeouts: 30

Record: 5-0

ERA at start: 3.46

ERA now: 2.91

”...All of a sudden, he’s a strikeout guy again. You’ve got to give him credit.”-- FELIPE ALOU, EXPOS MANAGER, ON MADDUX’S 13-strikeout performance.

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Wild-Card Race

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Team W L GB New York 88 67 -- DODGERS 82 73 6 Arizona 81 73 6 1/2 Cincinnati 81 74 7 Colorado 77 77 10 1/2

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