Wednesday, September 01, 1999Maddux shuts down Reds despite injury
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati EnquirerSome will say that Greg Maddux's legend grew at Cinergy Field on Tuesday night, when he pitched seven shutout innings against the Reds with a chipped bone in his right wrist.
Maddux, however, considered it a normal game. But as the baseball world knows by now, what's normal for Maddux is outstanding for everybody else.
The Atlanta right-hander repeated that his wrist felt fine as he limited Cincinnati to six hits in the Braves' 8-2 victory.
“It didn't hurt,” insisted Maddux, who injured himself Aug. 21 when he dove for a pop-up in a game against San Diego. “It's not like I'm a macho, he-man, Joe Stud Muffin dude sucking it up for the team.”
In fact, standing atop the mound worried Maddux less than stepping into the batter's box.
“I was more concerned about swinging than pitching, to be honest with you,” said Maddux, who went hitless in three at-bats.
Maddux (17-6) also threw 55 strikes in 88 pitches while winning his seventh game in a row. Typically, he walked none, struck out only three yet coaxed 12 ground ball outs.
His overall ERA of 3.48 is deceptively high. For a better reflection of his skills, check out his last 16 starts, in which he's 12-2 with a 2.47 ERA.
Maddux maintained his mastery of the Reds, against whom he's 15-11 lifetime. Since his last loss to the Reds, a 3-2 decision on June1, 1996, he has won all five of his starts against them while posting a 1.03 ERA.
His statistics in Riverfront Stadium/Cinergy Field are pretty decent, too: He's 10-4 with a 2.38 ERA, having allowed 116 hits while walking only 21 in 132ô innings.
“He wouldn't have gone out there if he couldn't pitch. His career kind of speaks for itself,” Braves second baseman Bret Boone said of Maddux, who's 218-123 since reaching the majors in 1986. “If there's a pitcher that can do it, it's him.
“You can't ask for more than what he did tonight.”
Manager Bobby Cox was duly impressed.
“His fastball probably moved as much tonight as it had in a long time,” Cox said.
Yet Cox almost expected to see what transpired. He knew last Friday, when Maddux tested his wrist in a pregame throwing session, that his ace would be fine.
“He threw so well on the side in St. Louis that it would have been a surprise if he didn't throw well (against the Reds),” Cox said. “But they have a good hitting lineup.”
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Maddux shuts down Reds despite injury