Maddux Struggles In Braves Loss

The ball just isn't bouncing Greg Maddux's way these days.

Maddux had another tough outing, allowing five earned runs to Montreal in the Expos' 6-3 victory against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.

Maddux (17-8) has allowed 24 earned runs in his last six starts, covering 39 innings, to see his ERA climb from 1.53 to 2.20. He gave up six runs on six hits in seven innings Tuesday, striking out nine and walking a season-high four.

"Even when I gave up the runs, I felt good," Maddux said. "I thought I threw some pretty good changeups that just didn't get swung at. It's going to happen. I thought I threw the ball pretty good. I think I might have given up one or two hits where I actually missed location."

The Expos scored four runs in the first off Maddux as the NL East-leading Braves lost their seventh in nine to fall into a tie with Houston for the best record in the league.

Miguel Batista (3-5) allowed three runs -- two earned -- on four hits in six innings. Batista walked five and struck out three. Ugueth Urbina got the last four outs for his 29th save.

"I was struggling the first two innings," Batista said. "I was struggling with my mechanics. I didn't get my fastball until after the third inning."

With the Braves ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first, home-plate umpire Randy Marsh stopped the game because of rain with one out and Terry Jones on second.

When the game resumed after a 1-hour, 14-minute rain delay, Shane Andrews drew a walk and Jones scored when Vladimir Guerrero's chopper to third scooted under third baseman Chiper Jones' glove into left field for an error.

Maddux then walked Brad Fullmer to load the bases and Chris Widger followed with an RBI single to make it 2-1. Montreal went up 3-1 when Maddux hit F.P. Santangelo with a pitch to force home Guerrero.

Orlando Cabrera then singled home Fullmer before Maddux struck out Batista looking -- with the bases still loaded -- for his 2,000th career strikeout and got Wilton Guerrero to ground out to second.

"It only seemed like a half-hour," Maddux said of the rain delay. "I played a little catch and stayed loose. That had nothing to do with it. They put some balls in play and found some holes. They made some plays defensively and beat us."

Andruw Jones hit his 29th homer with one out in the second to cut the lead to 4-2.

Wilton Guerrero singled home two with the bases loaded in the third to give the Expos a 6-2 lead.

"It was pretty sticky out there," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said. "I'm not blaming Batista's or Maddux's walks on that but it sure doesn't help. He pitched good. You can't do anything about those little balls that go through. He had nine punchouts and only gave up six hits. He actually had a good night."

Atlanta took a 1-0 lead in the first when Marty Malloy scored from third on Andres Galarraga's one-out grounder to short.

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