Rockies Get the Best of Maddux

The Atlanta Braves have such a big lead in the National League East, they might be getting a little bored.

Larry Walker homered twice and Jay Payton had four hits as the Colorado Rockies handed Atlanta consecutive losses for the first time in more than a month, beating the Braves, 6-3, Sunday.

Atlanta still has an 18 1/2-game lead over the Montreal Expos in the NL East.

“I don’t think we have a problem with a letdown or lack of intensity,” said pitcher Tom Glavine, who will try to end the mini-slide today. “We still have the best record to play for, the home-field advantage to play for. The intensity level is the same.”

He blamed nagging injuries and several draining games--twice in the previous three nights the Braves waited through rain delays--for the closest thing to a slump in these parts. Atlanta has lost four of its last seven.

The Rockies had 13 hits off Greg Maddux, who came in leading the league with a 2.51 earned-run average.

The four-time Cy Young winner had not given up that many hits in a game since the New York Yankees also had 13 on June 3, 2000.

Walker, who had four RBIs, hit a tie-breaking homer in the seventh against Maddux (11-5) on an 0-and-2 fastball. He added his 25th of the season in the ninth off Kerry Ligtenberg.