Maddux Goes Distance in Padres Win

Greg Maddux had a vintage pitching performance, looking like a four-time Cy Young Award winner. <br/><br/>Maddux needed only 96 pitches to throw a five-hitter and help the San Diego Padres beat Cincinnati

Tuesday, May 15th 2007, 7:21 am

By: News On 6

Greg Maddux had a vintage pitching performance, looking like a four-time Cy Young Award winner.

Maddux needed only 96 pitches to throw a five-hitter and help the San Diego Padres beat Cincinnati 7-1, handing the Reds their fourth straight loss.

He retired the first 16 batters he faced, struck out five and walked none. He picked up his 109th career complete game and first since Sept. 27, 2005, for the Chicago Cubs in a 5-3 loss at Pittsburgh.

``You can probably turn back the clock five, 10, 15 years, and you've seen games like that out of him before,'' Padres manager Bud Black said. ``Maybe a little different style, but still the same substance. He was efficient, threw strikes, had them off balance, pitched in, pitched out, pitched up, pitched down. It was an outstanding game.''

Maddux also picked up win No. 336, putting him six behind tying Tim Keefe for ninth on the career list.

``He was throwing 83 miles an hour and making guys look silly,'' said Cincinnati's Scott Hatteberg, who was 0-for-4. ``He had a lot of movement on the ball. He was hitting corners all day, with the ball going whichever way.''

In other NL games, it was: Washington 2, Atlanta 1; Philadelphia 8, Milwaukee 6; New York Mets 5, Chicago Cubs 4; St. Louis 8, Los Angeles Dodgers 4; and Pittsburgh 7, Florida 0.

At Washington, Jason Bergmann almost made history in picking up his first major league win as a starter.

Bergmann took a bid for a no-hitter into the eighth inning, leading the Nationals over the Braves.

He cruised through the first seven innings, but Brian McCann hit a leadoff homer in the eighth. The right-hander responded by retiring the next three to get out of the inning.

``It wasn't like it was a big deal,'' Bergmann said. ``You try to limit the number of hits you give up. If it's zero, it's fine. I wasn't going for the no-hitter at all.''

At Washington, Bergmann came out for the ninth inning and departed after pinch-hitter Matt Diaz singled. Jesus Colome got two outs before Edgar Renteria singled to bring up Andruw Jones, who struck out after being ahead 3-0. It was Colome's first save of the season.

John Smoltz (5-2), who turns 40 on Tuesday, pitched well for the Braves before he dislocated his right pinky finger tagging Austin Kearns during a rundown in the bottom of the seventh. X-rays were negative.

``It was just fluky,'' Smoltz said. ``I don't know how it happened. It happened so fast, and the next thing I know, I'm looking at my hand going 'oh no' _ and I'm coming off the field.''

Smoltz worked 6 2-3 innings, allowing two runs and four hits.

At San Diego, Mike Cameron and Josh Bard each had two hits and two RBIs for the Padres, who led 7-0 after five innings.

``Runs are a beautiful thing,'' Maddux said. ``We got a lot of runs early, so every pitch, the game is not on the line. That's a good feeling.''

Matt Belisle (3-3) allowed 10 hits in five innings for Cincinnati. He struck two and walked one.

Phillies 8, Brewers 6

Pinch-hitter Wes Helms hit a tiebreaking single during a six-run eighth inning to rally Philadelphia past Milwaukee.

Pat Burrell hit a two-run homer, Chase Utley had a key two-run single and the host Phillies won for the fourth time in five games. They're 14-9 since a 4-11 start.

J.J. Hardy his NL-leading 12th homer and Johnny Estrada also connected, but the Brewers' stellar bullpen blew a four-run lead in the eighth. Derrick Turnbow (1-1) took the loss, allowing four runs and four hits in 2-3 of an inning.

Clay Condrey (1-0) pitched a scoreless eighth and Brett Myers finished for his fourth save in four chances.

Mets 5, Cubs 4

At New York, Chicago's Michael Wuertz walked three straight batters in the bottom of the ninth inning, forcing home the winning run.

Slumping slugger Carlos Delgado drew the game-ending walk on a 3-2 pitch that was high, and David Wright hit a two-run homer to help New York win for the fifth time in six games. The Mets, who overcame an early four-run deficit, have won nine of 12 overall.

Jose Reyes singled off Wuertz (0-2) with two outs in the ninth to start the winning rally.

With a runner on second, winner Aaron Heilman (4-2) retired Cesar Izturis on a grounder back to the mound with his only pitch.

Cubs starter Jason Marquis had two hits and two RBIs.

Cardinals 8, Dodgers 4

David Eckstein had three hits, Chris Duncan hit St. Louis' first homer since May 1, and the Cardinals beat Los Angeles for their 10th straight victory over the Dodgers going back to 2005.

The visiting Cardinals entered with the majors' lowest batting average (.234), fewest runs (110) and fewest homers (17), but had 10 hits and eight runs in the first three innings to make it easy for Brad Thompson in his third major league start.

Thompson (2-0) allowed eight hits and three runs in a career-high 6 2-3 innings.

Jason Isringhausen got the final two outs for his 10th save in 11 chances.

Brett Tomko (1-4) allowed nine hits and eight earned runs in 2 1-3 innings. Jeff Kent hit his 350th career homer and Wilson Betemit also connected for Los Angeles.

Pirates 7, Marlins 0

Tom Gorzelanny limited slumping Florida to five singles over seven shutout innings, outpitching Dontrelle Willis.

The visiting Marlins began the game leading the NL with 136 extra-base hits, but didn't have one against Gorzelanny (5-2), who struck out five, walked none and has allowed only one run combined in his last two starts.

Freddy Sanchez went 4-for-5 with two RBIs. Ronny Paulino hit a long solo home run in the sixth, his fourth of the season, and the Pirates added five runs against Florida's bullpen in the eighth.

Willis (5-3) allowed five hits and two runs, walking four in six innings. The Marlins lost their fourth straight.