Maddux, Two Relievers Combine for One-Hitter

A few more inches and a polished game for Greg Maddux might have been perfect.

Maddux was almost flawless for seven innings and combined with two relievers to pitch a one-hitter Wednesday night in the Atlanta Braves’ 2-0 victory over the Mets at New York.

“It was cold and wet out there,” Maddux said. “I thought it was a great night to pitch. It was tough to hit.”

The Mets wound up with only one runner against Maddux, Mike Remlinger and John Rocker.

Todd Zeile lined a single about a foot beyond second baseman Quilvio Veras’ glove with one out in the second inning.

“When he hit it, I thought I had a chance to catch it,” Veras said. “But he hit it hard, and it was going away from me.”

Maddux, whose banged-up left big toe caused him to miss his scheduled opening-day start, left after 74 pitches. “It got to the point where I was thinking more about my toe than pitching,” he said. “I’d had enough.”

Rafael Furcal’s run-scoring double in the third gave Maddux and the Braves all the offense they needed. Chipper Jones’ 21st home run against the Mets provided an insurance run in the seventh.

Maddux (2-0) gave a command performance in extending his scoreless streak to 12 innings, striking out six and walking none.

San Francisco 2, San Diego 1--Pinch-runner Calvin Murray scored on Pedro Feliz’s ninth-inning sacrifice fly at San Diego and the Giants won their fifth in a row over the Padres this season.

The Giants have defeated the Padres seven consecutive times overall, including three one-run games this season.

St. Louis 3, Colorado 1--Mark McGwire ended an 0-for-12 season-opening slump with an opposite-field home run at St. Louis.

Matt Morris won his first game as a starter since September 1998, giving up one run and six hits in seven innings.

St. Louis has won five consecutive games since going 0-3 during a season-opening series at Colorado. The Rockies have lost five in a row since outscoring St. Louis, 32-11, at Coors Field.

Houston 7, Milwaukee 1--Wade Miller pitched a three-hitter at Milwaukee that tagged Ben Sheets with his second loss.

Miller (2-0) struck out a career-high 12, one more than he had six days earlier at Enron Field, also against Milwaukee. He walked one for a two-game total of one walk and 23 strikeouts, and got his third complete game in 19 career starts.

Chicago 4, Montreal 2--Julian Tavarez pitched seven strong innings and Eric Young had two runs batted in for the Cubs at Montreal.

Tavarez (2-0) gave up six hits.

Pittsburgh 6, Cincinnati 5--Kevin Young’s RBI double topped a two-run seventh-inning rally aided by Red reliever John Riedling’s three wild pitches and the Pirates won at Pittsburgh.

Florida at Philadelphia, ppd., rain--The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader June 28.

Around the League

Ramon Martinez, released by the Dodgers last month after going 0-3 with a 5.83 earned-run average in six spring appearances, signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates and will start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.