Marlins’ Springer Outpitches Maddux, 2-0

Lately, the Atlanta Braves just can’t win, and against Dennis Springer they couldn’t even score.

The journeyman knuckleballer outpitched Greg Maddux with a seven-hitter Wednesday night to help the Florida Marlins to a 2-0 victory at Miami, sending the Braves to their fifth consecutive loss.

The losing streak is the Braves’ longest since they dropped six in a row Sept. 8-14, 1996.

“Something like this is not going to happen that often,” Maddux said. “I think we’ll come to the park a little hungrier tomorrow.”

Despite the slump, the Braves began the night with the best record in the National League. The Marlins have baseball’s worst record.

“It’s nice for us to win any time,” Florida Manager John Boles said. “But it makes you feel especially good because the Braves are the class of the National League and have been for some time, and Maddux is a future Hall of Famer.”

Maddux (10-6), who had won four consecutive decisions, lost despite pitching his first complete game of the season. He gave up nine hits, walked one and struck out three.

Preston Wilson did most of Florida’s damage. He scored one run, drove in the other and went two for four, extending his hitting streak to 10 games.

Springer (5-10) mixed knuckleballs with an occasional 80-mph fastball and at least one slider, on which Brian Jordan grounded into a double play.

Springer walked two, struck out three and lowered his earned-run average to 4.00. The 34-year-old right-hander has both of the Marlins’ complete-game shutouts this season, doubling his career total. He beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 10-0, on June 6.

Cincinnati 1, St. Louis 0--Ron Villone gave up one hit in eight-plus innings at Cincinnati and Pokey Reese hit the first homer by a right-hander against Jose Jimenez.

The Reds improved to 19-8 over their last 27 games with their ninth shutout, the most in the majors. Villone (5-3) gave up a leadoff double to J.D. Drew in the first, then allowed only four more runners--two via walks, one on an error and another on a hit batter.

Villone was replaced by Scott Williamson after walking Drew to lead off the ninth. Williamson struck out Ray Lankford, Mark McGwire and Fernando Tatis to earn his 12th save in 17 chances.

Reese led off the fourth inning with his sixth homer and the first that Jimenez (5-10) has given up to a right-handed batter during his major league career. The rookie had not given up a homer by a right-hander in 141 1/3 innings, a span of 299 at-bats by right-handers.

The Cardinals were without Manager Tony La Russa, who again was bothered by an upset stomach. He was taken to a hospital for tests that found nothing serious.

Rene Lacheman managed the Cardinals.

Philadelphia 7, Milwaukee 0--Robert Person dominated the Brewers for the second time in two weeks, pitching 7 2/3 shutout innings at Milwaukee.

Person (4-2) gave up seven hits and struck out five. The former Toronto Blue Jay closer also beat the Brewers, 1-0, on July 6 and has won four of five starts.

New York 7, Montreal 3--Mike Piazza and Robin Ventura hit consecutive homers in the first inning at Montreal and Rick Reed hit an RBI double and won his fifth consecutive decision.

Rickey Henderson scored the Mets’ sixth run on Edgardo Alfonzo’s RBI double in the seventh for the 2,063rd run of his career, passing Willie Mays for fifth place on the all-time list.

Chicago 2, Pittsburgh 1--Pinch-hitter Jeff Blauser led off the ninth with a homer and Henry Rodriguez singled home the winning run at Chicago.