Maddux Gets His Groove Back While Frustrating the Astros

A trip to the Astrodome is all Atlanta’s struggling Cy Young winners needed to get back on track.

Greg Maddux struck out a season-high 10 in 6 2/3 innings and retired 17 consecutive batters Wednesday night, leading the Braves to a 3-1 victory over the Houston Astros.

Tom Glavine defeated the Astros on Tuesday night with a five-hitter after losing his previous three decisions.

“I located better than I’ve done all year,” Maddux said. “This is a good place to pitch. I don’t like turf, but I like the Dome. I think it’s harder for hitters to see here and I always feel like I have good stuff.”

Maddux (6-4) gave up three hits in winning for only the second time in nine starts. He improved to 9-3 with a 1.85 earned-run average lifetime at the Astrodome. After Craig Biggio singled and Bill Spiers walked to start the first inning, Maddux did not permit another runner until Spiers led off the seventh with a double.

The Astros were playing their third game since Manager Larry Dierker collapsed in the dugout Sunday. Dierker remained in intensive after an angiogram confirmed a tangle of blood vessels was completely removed from his brain Tuesday.

St. Louis 5, Montreal 4--Kent Bottenfield became the NL’s second 10-game winner and Fernando Tatis homered as the Cardinals defeated the Expos at St. Louis.

Bottenfield (10-3) lasted five innings and gave up two earned runs. He’s one victory behind league leader Jose Lima of Houston after entering the year with a career record of 18-27.

Bottenfield had never won more than five games in a season before this year. He’s one victory shy of Kent Mercker’s team-leading total from 1998.

San Francisco 15, Colorado 2--Jeff Kent hit two home runs and drove in six to help Mark Gardner win for the first time since last September as the Giants defeated the Rockies at Denver.

Rich Aurilia added three hits and a career-high five RBIs for the Giants, who ended Colorado’s four-game winning streak and prevented the Rockies (30-32) from reaching the .500 mark for the first time since early April.

Gardner (1-5) pitched a six-hitter to end a career-worst five-game losing streak that spanned 11 starts. His last victory came Sept. 23 against Pittsburgh. It was his 15th career complete game.

New York 5, Cincinnati 2--The Mets won a game without Manager Bobby Valentine as Mike Piazza extended his hitting streak to 19 games and Brian McRae drove in three runs at Cincinnati.

With the score tied at 2 in the sixth, Piazza reached when third baseman Aaron Boone dropped his grounder for an error. Robin Ventura hit a soft liner to center that Mike Cameron charged and then let bounce over his head for a double, leaving runners on second and third.

McRae singled to right off Steve Parris (4-1) for a 4-2 lead, giving him three RBIs.

Valentine also will miss a game Thursday in St. Louis, completing his two-game penalty from the National League for returning in disguise after being ejected from a game last week.

Milwaukee 11, Chicago 4--Hideo Nomo gave up two runs in seven-plus innings to defeat one of the teams that released him earlier this season in the Brewers’ victory at home over the Cubs.

Nomo was released by the Mets in spring training before signing with the Cubs. After three starts in triple-A, the Cubs cut him loose and he has since become Milwaukee’s best starter.

Nomo (4-1) gave up four hits and struck out seven and even drove in Milwaukee’s first run with an RBI single in the second inning off Steve Trachsel (2-9), who leads the majors in losses.

Philadelphia 4, San Diego 2--Randy Wolf followed his successful major league debut with an even stronger effort, holding the Padres to five hits in eight innings and getting his first hit as the Phillies won at San Diego.

Wolf (2-0) won his debut on Friday, giving up one earned run and six hits in 5 2/3 innings against Toronto. Wolf struck out seven and walked two. He also singled off Sterling Hitchcock in the fifth.

Arizona 12, Florida 6--Matt Williams hit his 19th home run and Tony Womack had a three-run double as the Diamondbacks defeated the Marlins to complete a three-game sweep at Phoenix.

Williams was two for four and scored three times, extending his hitting streak to 18 games.