Maddux Injured, but Braves Rally

The Atlanta Braves felt a lot better about their chances when Adam Bernero left the mound.

Bernero pitched eight scoreless innings, but the Braves rallied for three runs in the ninth to defeat the Detroit Tigers, 3-2, Thursday night.

Javy Lopez drove in the winning run with a two-out single against Juan Acevedo, who couldn’t preserve Detroit’s second shutout against the Braves in three games. “He was like [Greg] Maddux out there,� Gary Sheffield said.

“You think he’s throwing you one straight. By the time you swing, it’s on your hands and breaks your bat.�

The real Maddux pitched five scoreless innings for Atlanta, but had to leave the game after re-injuring a sore left calf muscle. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to make his next start.

Boston 5, San Diego 0--Pedro Martinez struck out 11 and gave up only two hits in eight innings as the Red Sox won at San Diego.

Martinez (8-2), who struck out the first five batters he faced, was coming off losses to Atlanta and Arizona, the first time he had lost consecutive starts since September 1998.

Texas 7, Chicago Cubs 4--Former Cub Rafael Palmeiro hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning, and one out later Kevin Mench had his second of the game at Chicago.

Playing at Wrigley Field for the first time since the Cubs traded him away in 1988, Palmeiro homered in all three games of the series. His decisive homer Thursday came off Juan Cruz (1-9).

Arizona 5, Baltimore 1--Randy Johnson struck out 11 at Phoenix and got an assist from the Diamondback offense just in time to record his 11th victory.

The Diamondbacks sent nine men to the plate and scored five runs in the seventh inning. Erubiel Durazo, who pinch-hit for Johnson, drove in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded walk off Willis Roberts, who relieved Rodrigo Lopez (6-3).

Chicago White Sox 6, Philadelphia 1--Mark Buehrle pitched shutout ball into the ninth inning, and Paul Konerko made it easy by hitting a three-run homer to lead the White Sox at Philadelphia.

San Francisco 10, Tampa Bay 2--Marvin Benard had season-highs of four hits and four runs, and Rich Aurilia had four RBIs for the Giants at San Francisco.

Oakland 5, Pittsburgh 3--Jermaine Dye drove in four runs with a homer and a bases-loaded double to support Tim Hudson’s effective pitching, and the Athletics completed a three-game sweep at Pittsburgh.

New York Mets 3, Minnesota 2--Steve Trachsel retired his first 19 batters and took a shutout into the ninth inning, and Mike Piazza and Edgardo Alfonzo homered for the Mets at New York.

Seattle 3, Cincinnati 2--Ruben Sierra hit a two-run homer against his former team, and James Baldwin pitched into the sixth inning to earn the victory at Cincinnati.

Montreal 5, Kansas City 4--Vladimir Guerrero scored on a throwing error by pitcher Scott Mullen in the 11th inning at Montreal, and the Expos extended their winning streak to a season-high seven games.