Day Belongs to Millwood and Braves

There are some days when everything just feels right. When Kevin Millwood has one of those days, pity the guys who have to face him.

Millwood was in a groove Tuesday, striking out a season-high 11 and giving up only two hits to win his sixth in a row and lead the Atlanta Braves over the Chicago Cubs, 2-0, at Chicago.

“I felt I was able to locate just about everything today,” said Millwood, whose streak is his longest since he won nine in a row from Aug. 13, 1999, to May 1, 2000.

“My breaking ball was good, and I thought I had a good slider and the best curveball all year,” Millwood said. “There are not many days you can go out there and have everything working for you. Today was one of those days.”

He walked only one in seven innings and was never in trouble. Although some of the Cubs complained about a generous strike zone, it was Millwood (8-5) and Atlanta’s bullpen that caused the real damage.

Mike Remlinger struck out two in one inning of relief, and John Smoltz struck out the side in the ninth to earn his 33rd save.

“Just give the Atlanta Braves credit. They beat us,” Cub interim Manager Bruce Kimm said. “They’ve just got good pitchers. Year in and year out, they have some of the best pitchers in baseball and it’s not because of the umpires. They’re just good.”

Chipper Jones and Henry Blanco each drove in runs for the Braves, who ended a three-game losing streak.

Jon Lieber (6-7) gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings, but lost to the Braves for the second consecutive start. The Cubs are 5-2 since Kimm took over, with both losses coming to the Braves.

After scoring 27 runs in their first four games after the All-Star break, the Cubs were overpowered by Millwood. They had a runner in scoring position only once, when Delino DeShields stole second in the sixth.

New York 10, Florida 5--Edgardo Alfonzo homered and drove in four runs, and Mo Vaughn hit a two-run homer at New York to help extend the Marlins’ longest losing streak this season to six games.

Al Leiter (9-7) beat the Marlins for the first time in four tries this season, giving up four runs and six hits in six innings.

Pittsburgh 7, Houston 3--Brian Giles hit a three-run homer to spark the Pirates at Houston.

Roy Oswalt (10-6) gave up six runs and nine hits in seven innings. The Astros lost their third in a row.

Josh Fogg (10-6) gave up three runs, seven hits and four walks in five innings. Brian Boehringer pitched two innings for his first save since Oct. 4, also at Houston.

Philadelphia 6, Montreal 3--Marlon Anderson hit a three-run double, and Randy Wolf hit a run-scoring single and pitched seven strong innings at Montreal as the Phillies completed a two-game sweep of the Expos.

Anderson’s bases-clearing double chased Tony Armas (8-9) to cap Philadelphia’s five-run outburst in the fourth inning.

Wolf (5-6), who also doubled, gave up seven hits and three runs to win for only the second time in 10 starts.

Cincinnati 6, Milwaukee 1--Elmer Dessens (6-5) gave up three hits in six innings and Jason LaRue homered twice at Milwaukee.

Right-hander Ben Sheets (4-11) gave up seven hits in seven innings, walked none and struck out eight. His only mistake was a 93-mph fastball that LaRue sent over the fence in left field in the fifth inning for his third homer this season.

The Reds scored five times in the eighth, three on LaRue’s second homer, against Jason Durocher.

San Diego 5, Colorado 1--Rookie Jake Peavy (1-3) gave up one run in seven innings at San Diego for his first major league victory.

Ron Gant gave Peavy all the offensive support he needed with a three-run homer in the first inning against rookie Jason Jennings (9-5) that gave San Diego a 4-0 lead.