Bobby Abreu had three hits and Chase Utley homered — all in the first three innings — as the Philadelphia Phillies denied Greg Maddux his 15th win of the season with an 8-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday night.
“I felt good, probably the best I’ve felt in a month,” Maddux said. “I thought I made some good pitches that I gave up singles on, and I made some bad pitches that I gave up doubles and home runs.”
Philadelphia pulled within a half-game of idle Florida in the NL wild-card race. Marlon Byrd finished 3-for-5, and Pat Burrell had two hits and two RBIs.
Brett Myers (14-7) shut down the Braves for seven innings, allowing seven hits, including a two-run homer to pinch-hitter Matt Franco in the fifth. Myers won his third straight decision.
Gary Sheffield went 3-for-4 and Marcus Giles doubled twice, tying the modern franchise record with 47 this season. Tommy Holmes also hit 47 in 1945 when the team was in Boston.
Maddux (14-11) has won at least 15 games for 15 straight seasons, tied with Cy Young for the longest streak ever. His next victory will give him the record, but the Phillies postponed any celebration until at least Maddux’s next start, which is scheduled to come Tuesday in Montreal.
He left after 3 2/3 innings and allowed seven runs on 12 hits, his second-shortest outing of the season. He lasted only two innings against the Marlins on April 5.
Smoltz gets positive report
The MRI exam earlier this week on John Smoltz’s tender elbow did not show any further damage, the Atlanta Braves closer said Thursday. Smoltz, on the disabled list for two weeks with tendinitis, returned to Turner Field after three days of rehab in Birmingham, Ala. Smoltz said he still plans to return for the postseason.
THURSDAY’S GAMES
RESULTS, SYNOPSIS
Pittsburgh 2 at Cincinnati 3
W: Randall (2-1)
L: D’Amico (8-15)
S: Reitsma (7)
D’Angelo Jimenez provided the Reds all their runs on a three-run homer in the sixth inning, two innings after reaching the warning track. It was his sixth homer since coming to the Reds from the White Sox in July.
Colorado 9 at St. Louis 4
W: Oliver (11-11)
L: Hitchcock (2-1)
Sterling Hitchcock struggled for the first time since joining the Cards, yielding four solo homers in 3 1/3 innings. “That’s not a plus,” said manager Tony La Russa, whose team heads to Houston.
Houston 3 at Milwaukee 5
W: Sheets (11-12)
L: Villone (6-4)
S: Kolb (17)
The Astros finished 7-3 on the their 11-day trip. Milwaukee avoided being swept in a four-game series by Houston for the first time since April 10-13, 1998, at the Astrodome.
Philadelphia 8 at Atlanta 3
W: Myers (14-7)
L: Maddux (14-11)
Brett Myers shut down the Braves for seven innings, allowing seven hits, including a two-run homer to pinch-hitter Matt Franco in the fifth. Myers won his third straight decision.
Los Angeles 0 at Arizona 2
W: Capuano (2-3)
L: Perez (12-11)
S: Mantei (23)
Chris Capuano allowed three hits in seven scoreless innings starting in place of Curt Schilling. Adrian Beltre’s throwing error set up two unearned runs against Odalis Perez in the seventh.
San Francisco at San Diego, late
Starters
Williams (6-4) vs. Eaton (8-10)
San Diego is 18-46 against the Giants since the start of the 2000 season. “I think they are better than last year,” Padres manager Bruce Bochy said of the 2002 NL pennant winners.
