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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
DENVER (AP) -- Amateur hour ended the minute four-time Cy Young
winner Greg Maddux stepped on the mound Wednesday.
Maddux, pitching about 14 hours after Colorado catcher Brent
Mayne earned a victory in relief, was impressive over seven innings
and Brian Jordan hit a three-run homer as the Atlanta Braves beat
the Rockies 5-2.
|  | | Brian Jordan's three-run homer was his only hit on the day for the Braves, but it was enough. |
"We had to bounce back. We let a catcher beat us, and we
thought about that one hard," Jordan said. "We came back with
Maddux pitching a great game, and we got him some big hits at the
right time."
Todd Helton went 0-for-4, ending his career-best hitting streak
at 14 games; his major league-leading average dropped four points
to .393.
"It was a good run. What do you say?" he said. "I knew I
wasn't going to get a hit every game for the rest of the season, so
I wasn't worried about it. Now you've just got to go out and get it
going again."
Maddux (14-7), who won for just the second time in seven starts,
was as efficient as he was effective, throwing 68 pitches -- no more
than 13 in one inning.
"That's Maddux," Helton said. "What do you expect? No matter
where that guy pitches, he's going to throw a good game. That's why
he's had all the success he's had over the years. He's a wonderful
pitcher."
Pitching with a stiff neck that has bothered him for two days,
Maddux gave up two runs and seven hits with no walks and a
strikeout. He also stranded a runner at second three times in the
first three innings.
"It bothered me a lot," Maddux said of his neck. "It got
worse as the game went on. I was lucky I lasted as long as I did."
Mike Remlinger pitched two perfect innings for his 12th save in
15 chances.
The fast-moving performance was a welcome sight after Tuesday's
4-hour, 26-minute, 12-inning game that included 44 players, a brawl
and Mayne's pitching debut.
"In terms of whether or not we were tired or exhausted, I think
the motivation from last night's win kind of carried over,"
Colorado's Todd Walker said. "I don't think it really affected
us."
After being shut out in three of Maddux's six previous starts,
the Braves gave the right-hander some support against Brian Rose
(4-7), who allowed four runs in seven innings.
Andruw Jones' two-out RBI single gave Atlanta a 1-0 lead in the
fifth, and Jordan followed a walk and a single with his 16th homer,
making it 4-0 in the sixth.
"I left it up over the plate and Jordan took advantage of it,"
Rose said. "He did the same thing to me last year when I was with
Boston. Just one bad pitch. It was the same situation and the same
pitch."
Colorado finally broke through against Maddux in the seventh on
Walker's solo homer and a sacrifice fly by Ben Petrick.
Atlanta added an insurance run in the eighth when Keith Lockhart
singled home B.J. Surhoff, who was 2-for-2 and scored twice.
Game notes
Rockies rookie OF Juan Pierre extended his hitting streak
to 16 games. ... Colorado OF Jeffrey Hammonds was scratched from
the starting lineup because of a stiff neck. ... Maddux has allowed
seven earned runs in his last five starts for a 1.87 ERA. He also
improved to 4-0 in five career starts at Coors Field. ... Rose
dropped to 1-5 in his last 10 starts. ... Braves SS Rafael Furcal
ended the six-game road trip 2-for-30. ... Maddux's 10 victories
over the Rockies are the most by an opposing pitcher against
Colorado.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Atlanta Clubhouse
Colorado Clubhouse
Here's the catch: Rockies' Mayne gets win in relief
RECAPS
Boston 3
Anaheim 1
Cleveland 7
Oakland 5
Detroit 6
Seattle 5
NY Yankees 10
Texas 9
Toronto 9
Kansas City 8
Chi. White Sox 8
Baltimore 4
Minnesota 8
Tampa Bay 2
Atlanta 5
Colorado 2
San Francisco 5
Florida 0
Philadelphia 4
Cincinnati 3
Chicago Cubs 15
Houston 5
St. Louis 5
Pittsburgh 2
Milwaukee 8
Arizona 5
Los Angeles 5
Montreal 1
NY Mets 4
San Diego 1
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jeff Cirillo says the Rockies came up short against the best.
wav: 129 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Todd Walker talks about facing Greg Maddux.
wav: 178 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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