ATLANTA Maddux tames Bucs to near record

Gary Sheffield's three hits led Atlanta's 9-2 triumph.
ATLANTA (AP) -- Greg Maddux pitched into the eighth inning Saturday and moved within one victory of becoming the first major leaguer to win at least 15 games in 16 consecutive seasons as the Atlanta Braves beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 9-2.
Gary Sheffield had three hits, including his 35th home run and drove in three runs, Chipper Jones had a three-run double, Rafael Furcal went 4-for-5 and scored twice and Vinny Castilla also went 4-for-5 with three doubles and an RBI in Atlanta's 16-hit attack.
Maddux (14-10) is tied with Cy Young, the only other pitcher to have achieved the feat.
He allowed eight hits, two runs -- none earned -- in 71/3 innings, struck out five and didn't walk a batter in winning his 287th game, tying him with Bert Blyleven for 24th on the career list.
Unearned runs
The only runs off Maddux came in the eighth inning and were unearned.
Craig Wilson led off with a single and Jose Hernandez followed with a potential double-play grounder to third, which Castilla mishandled for an error.
Maddux then struck out Carlos Rivera before Rob Mackowiak singled to load the bases.
Tike Redman followed with an RBI single. Ray King relieved Maddux and Abraham Nunez added a run-scoring groundout before striking out Jeff Reboulet.
Maddux has won 11 straight over Pittsburgh since losing to them 2-1 on April 30, 1994.
The Braves made it easy for Maddux, batting around in the first inning off Pittsburgh starter Jeff D'Amico (8-14) and scoring four runs.
Furcal led off for the Braves with a double. Marcus Giles singled Furcal to third and Sheffield walked to load the bases.
Jones then cleared the bases with a three-run double. After a single by Andruw Jones, Matt Franco followed with a sacrifice fly to score Chipper Jones for a 4-0 lead
Huge lead
Atlanta added three runs in the fourth off D'Amico on an RBI double by Sheffield, who stole third and scored when catcher Jason Kendall's throw went into left field for an error.
Castilla knocked in another in the inning with the second of his three doubles.
Sheffield added an RBI single in the fifth and a solo homer in the seventh, both off reliever Nelson Figueroa.
Maddux, a four-time NL Cy Young winner, is scheduled to make his next start on Thursday against Philadelphia and should have at least three more starts before the end of the regular season.
Maddux was 6-8 after losing to Florida on June 30, but has rebounded in the second half, going 8-2 and lowering his ERA under 4.00 for the first time this season Saturday (3.92).
D'Amico (8-14) went only four innings. The right-hander allowed 10 hits, seven runs, walked four and struck out four.
Notes
Atlanta RHP John Smoltz, on the 15-day DL with slight tendinitis of his right elbow, threw off the mound for the first time since going on the DL on Aug. 24. Smoltz, 0-2 with an 0.89 ERA and 44 saves in 47 chances, is eligible to come off the DL on Monday but will likely take more time off before the postseason.
Chipper Jones, seeking his eight consecutive 100-RBI season, has 96 after knocking in three Saturday.
D'Amico fell to 0-4 in seven career appearances against Atlanta.
PITTSBURGHATLANTA
abrhbiabrhbi
TRdmn cf4011Furcal ss5240
ANunez 2b4021MGiles 2b5110
Kendall c3010Shffield rf4333
Rboulet 2b1000Bragg cf0000
RSndrs rf3000CJones lf2213
Bay lf1010Hssmn lf0000
Stairs 1b3000AJones cf4020
CWilsn lf4120Lngrhn rf0000
JHrndz 3b3100MFrco 1b4001
JWilsn ss2000Castilla 3b5041
NFigra p0000Blanco c5000
Rivera ph1000Mddux p4110
Lincoln p0000King p0000
Beimel ph1000Hodges p0000
D'mico p1000
Mckwk 2b3020
Totals34292Totals389168
Pittsburgh000000020--2
Atlanta40031010x--9
E--Kendall (6), Castilla (18). DP--Pittsburgh 1, Atlanta 2. LOB--Pittsburgh 7, Atlanta 11. 2B--Furcal (28), Sheffield (34), CJones (27), Castilla 3 (26). 3B--Furcal (9). HR--Sheffield (35). SB--Sheffield (18). CS--ANunez (3). SF--MFranco.
IPHRERBBSO
Pittsburgh
D'Amico L,8-144107744
NFigueroa352214
Lincoln110000
Atlanta
Maddux W,14-107 1-382005
King2-300001
Hodges110022
Umpires--Home, John Hirschbeck; First, Matt Hollowell; Second, Jay Klemm; Third, Bill Welke. T--2:33. A--36,932.