The Associated Press

With four Cy Young Awards, eight All-Star selections and a World Series ring, Greg Maddux isn’t missing much from his resume.

Friday, July 06, 2001

With four Cy Young Awards, eight All-Star selections and a World Series ring, Greg Maddux isn’t missing much from his resume.

Now he needs just 50 wins to reach one more magic number – 300.

Maddux earned his 250th career victory Thursday night, pitching the Atlanta Braves over the Philadelphia Phillies 9-5. Still, he hasn’t started pondering his place in baseball history.

”As soon as I quit, I’ll think about all I’ve accomplished,” Maddux said. ”It’ll sink in at some point. Right now, we’re in a pennant race. We kind of needed to win this one.”

The 35-year-old Maddux (10-5) gave up two runs and seven hits in six innings, becoming the youngest player who started his career after World War II to win 250 games.

Steve Carlton, the only other NL pitcher to win four Cy Youngs, was the previous youngest at 36 years, 112 days.

In other NL games, it was San Francisco 3, Los Angeles 2; Colorado 4, San Diego 0; St. Louis 5, Milwaukee 2; Cincinnati 7, Pittsburgh 1; Montreal 9, Florida 6; Chicago 13, New York 4; and Houston 5, Arizona 1.

Brian Jordan homered twice off Bruce Chen (4-5) for the Braves, who have won 10 of 13 to trim Philadelphia’s lead in the NL East to one game.

Maddux was replaced after throwing only 86 pitches.

In this era of five-man rotations, short relief specialists and high-scoring games, some thought it would be difficult for any starter – even Maddux or Roger Clemens – to last long enough to win 300.

But Maddux, who has won four ERA titles and averaged 17 victories in his 14 full seasons, is showing no signs of slowing down. The NL pitcher of the month in June, he is 6-0 with a 2.23 ERA in his last seven starts.

”He’s still the best pitcher in the game,” Philadelphia’s Scott Rolen said.

Maddux is 250-140 for his career, second to Clemens in victories among active pitchers. And even if No. 250 might make some people start thinking about 300, Maddux isn’t worried about it.

”If it comes, it comes,” he said. ”I’m on extra credit anyway.”

Before the game, Atlanta agreed to a contract with third baseman Ken Caminiti, released by Texas this week. Caminiti, the 1996 NL MVP, will join the team Friday and serve as the club’s designated hitter in Boston this weekend.

Giants 3, Dodgers 2

Rich Aurilia singled in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium as San Francisco snapped Los Angeles’ nine-game winning streak.

Russ Ortiz (9-5) allowed two runs and three hits in eight innings, retiring his final 11 batters. Robb Nen, left off the All-Star team, got his NL-leading 26th save.

Barry Bonds went 1-for-3, but extended his homerless streak to 10 games and 33 at-bats – his longest drought of the season.

Rockies 4, Padres 0

Pedro Astacio matched his career best by throwing a three-hitter, and All-Stars Todd Helton and Larry Walker homered for visiting Colorado.

Astacio (6-9) pitched his first shutout since May 1, 1997, and the Rockies won for just the third time in 16 games.

Adam Eaton (8-5) took the loss for the Padres, who dropped back into last place in the NL West.

Cardinals 5, Brewers 2

Darryl Kile (9-6) allowed six hits in eight-plus innings as visiting St. Louis handed Milwaukee its ninth loss in 11 games.

Kyle Peterson (1-2), recalled from Triple-A before the game, gave up five runs, four earned, and nine hits in 3 2-3 innings.

Expos 9, Marlins 6

Geoff Blum homered from both sides of the plate, and Lee Stevens hit a three-run shot as host Montreal handed Florida its seventh loss in eight games.

Javier Vazquez (7-9) won his second in a row after losing four straight starts.

Cubs 13, Mets 4

Jason Bere (6-4) shut down the Mets for seven innings at Shea Stadium and helped himself with two hits and two RBIs in a seven-run third.

Ron Coomer went 4-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs for the NL Central-leading Cubs.

New York starter Steve Trachsel (2-10) was roughed up again.

Astros 5, Diamondbacks 1

Rookie Roy Oswalt went eight innings to win his fifth straight decision, and Lance Berkman hit his 23rd homer for host Houston.

Oswalt (7-1), a U.S. Olympic hero last year, improved to 5-0 in six starts since joining Houston’s rotation.

Vinny Castilla and Craig Biggio also homered for the Astros.