Phillies Get Scalped

Greg Maddux didn`t need his best stuff.

Brian Jordan`s three-run homer sparked a six-run third inning, and Maddux allowed two runs in seven innings as the Atlanta Braves beat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-4 Monday night in a matchup of the top teams in the NL East.

The Braves, winners of four straight, closed to 1½ games behind first-place Philadelphia. Since June 1, the Phillies are 7-14 and have lost seven games off their lead. Maddux (8-5) gave up seven hits, struck out seven, had no walks and won his fourth straight decision.

"The runs helped. I made a couple good pitches, but the runs definitely helped," Maddux said. "You get a big lead and your approach changes. I had better days. My location wasn`t good, but I was effectively wild. When I missed, I missed badly."

Phillies manager Larry Bowa snapped when asked about the team`s recent slide.

"It`s June, not July or August. We`ve hit a little lull," Bowa said. "We have a very young team. This is not a one-year plan. When I took the job, I said we`d improve and we`ll improve. I guarantee it.

"I`m not worried about Atlanta or Florida. I`m worried about John Burkett tomorrow night. That`s all I care about right now. This game is over and they beat us good. Every game is important to me no matter who we play. We can`t look down the road. We`re not in that situation yet."

Andruw Jones gave the Braves a 2-1 lead in the third on a single that scored Rafael Furcal, who led off with a double. Chipper Jones followed with a walk and Jordan made it 5-1 with his second three-run homer in two games.

Quilvio Veras added a two-out, two-run single off Omar Daal (8-2).

"I haven`t been lifting because of my shoulder," said Jordan, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on both shoulders during the offseason. "I just started lifting again and I`m getting stronger."

Daal allowed seven runs and eight hits in three innings, matching his shortest outing of the season. His ERA rose from 4.12 to 4.66.

Daal, who won his first six decisions after going 4-19 last year, is 2-2 with a 7.82 ERA in his last five starts.

"It was just one of those nights," Daal said. "I was not getting the ball where I wanted. I didn`t have my best stuff. It happens. I threw too many balls over the plate and they hit them. That was a big game for us and I knew I couldn`t give up too many runs against Maddux."

Atlanta, coming off a three-game sweep of the Mets in New York, is 4-0 without John Rocker. The controversial closer was traded to Cleveland on Friday.

"The trade helped," Maddux said. "It gives is depth."

Atlanta got relievers Steve Karsay and Steve Reed for Rocker.

Asked if getting rid of Rocker changed the chemistry in the locker, Maddux smiled and said of Karsay and Reed, "They`re here on time."

Philadelphia, which scored two ninth-inning runs, swept the Braves in a three-game series at Veterans Stadium in April.

The Braves took a 1-0 lead on Andruw Jones` RBI groundout in the first. Veras led off with a double, moved to third when Furcal reached on a fielding error by shortstop Jimmy Rollins and scored on Jones` bouncer to second.

Travis Lee doubled with one out in the second and scored on Marlon Anderson`s sacrifice fly to tie it at 1-1.

Maddux retired 10 of the last 12 batters he faced, but his ERA swelled from 2.46 to 2.47. Teammate John Burkett leads the NL with a 2.45 ERA.

"You give Maddux the lead and you see how great he is," Jordan said.

Notes:
After the game, the Phillies sent reliever Vicente Padilla to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre and called up RHP Nelson Figueroa, who will start Tuesday ... Only 22,439 fans turned out at Veterans Stadium for the game. ... Maddux is 5-1 with a 1.93 ERA in his last seven starts. ... The Phillies are 13-3 when Daal starts. ... Pat Burrell slammed his bat in disgust after striking out with a runner on second and two outs in the Philadelphia sixth. ... Furcal had one hit, snapping a string of five straight games with two or more. ... Phillies catcher Johnny Estrada`s hitting streak was snapped at nine, but he had a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Article continues below

---

advertisement

---

Author: 6 ABC - Action News