ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, October 22, 1996 TAG: 9610220080
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: NEW YORK
SOURCE: Associated Press
The way Greg Maddux was pitching, one run would have been plenty.
The Atlanta Braves didn't need to go on another rampage, relying instead on Maddux's eight shutout innings to beat the New York Yankees 4-0 on Monday night to take a 2-0 lead in the World Series.
Fred McGriff drove in three runs as the Braves won their fifth consecutive game in the postseason, a span in which they've outscored opponents 48-2. A night after a 12-1 romp, Maddux put the focus back on Atlanta's starting pitchers.
``I've had games where I probably pitched better, but under the circumstances, this was a game I'll probably take to the grave with me,'' Maddux said. ``This can be an intimidating place to pitch at times, and I tried to block that out tonight.''
Too bad for the Yankees they couldn't block him out.
``He's something. He really is,'' said Joe Torre, the Yankees' manager. ``He has his way with you. He was a master tonight.
``You don't see pitching like this every day. Unfortunately, we are seeing it every day.''
The victory moved the defending champions halfway toward another title, and sent the Series to Atlanta for the next three games - if all three are necessary. Of the 43 previous teams to take a 2-0 lead, 33 have won the Series.
Because of an earlier rainout, there will be no travel day. Instead, Game 3 is tonight, with 1995 World Series MVP Tom Glavine starting for the Braves against David Cone.
Maddux made it look easy, giving up six hits, permitting only two runners past first base and walking none. The lone time the Yankees put two runners on base in an inning, the four-time Cy Young winner induced Wade Boggs to bounce into a double play and got Bernie Williams to ground out to end the sixth.
``That was a typical Maddux game,'' said Bobby Cox, the Braves' manager. ``He was on top of his game. He was quick, sneaky, and the ball had a tremendous amount of life to it.''
Mark Wohlers struck out the side in the ninth for the Braves, giving up a two-out single to Cecil Fielder.
With nothing to cheer, frustrated Yankees fans took to running onto the field in the later innings. Five of them touched second base, more people than the Yankees' offense put there. The game ended with a small section of Braves family members and friends chanting and chopping behind home plate.
``It's a little scary sometimes,'' Maddux said of those running on the field. ``You just hope they can keep it under control.''
It was the kind of neat, efficient performance by Maddux that prompted the Yankees to court him when he left the Chicago Cubs as a free agent after the 1992 season.
Maddux took a tour of New York, seeing Yankee Stadium and taking in the show ``Miss Saigon'' on Broadway, and got a $34 million, five-year offer. Shortly thereafter, he accepted $28 million from the Braves for the same five years.
``I thought the Braves had a better chance to win for a longer time,'' Maddux said.
The most action Maddux had on the mound came while showing off his seventh consecutive Gold Glove. He fielded five grounders, and also twice covered first base for putouts.
Maddux struck out two in improving his career postseason record to 7-4, including 3-1 this year. He also inflicted a bit of damage on the Yankees, hitting Derek Jeter on the left wrist with a pitch - the mishap caused a bruise that forced Jeter to wear an ice pack between innings.
The shutout lowered the Braves' staff ERA to 1.43 in 12 postseason games this year. It also made Atlanta the 12th team in 92 World Series to win the first two games on the road.
Maddux and the Braves also sent the Yankees to their sixth consecutive loss in the Series. New York lost its last four in 1981 to Los Angeles, and fell in the opener against Atlanta.
The Yankees will be at a deficit in Atlanta, too, when they lose the designated hitter.
Yankees starter Jimmy Key, who beat Atlanta twice while with Toronto in the 1992 Series, never settled into a rhythm. He did not retire three consecutive batters until the fifth.
McGriff hit RBI singles in the first and third innings and had a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Added to his two RBI on Sunday night, he set a record with 15 RBI in a postseason. McGriff broke the mark of 14 set by Reggie Jackson in 1978, although Jackson had only the American League playoffs and the World Series to do it for the Yankees.
``Coming into the game, I wasn't thinking about RBIs. I was thinking about getting us another win and another ring,'' McGriff said.
Mark Lemke doubled with one out in the first and McGriff singled him home with two out. A leadoff double by Marquis Grissom in the third set up another single by McGriff and a 2-0 lead.
Lemke singled for his fourth hit of the Series in the fifth, Chipper Jones doubled and McGriff hit a sacrifice fly. Atlanta made it 4-0 in the sixth on a double that popped out of Jeter's injured glove hand - ending Terry Pendleton's 0-for-24 slump - and a single by Grissom.
Andruw Jones, who homered twice and drove in five runs in the opener, went 0-for-3 and was hit by a pitch. The 19-year-old rookie made one nice play, safely diving around first baseman Tino Martinez after apparently being picked off by catcher Joe Girardi in the second.
LENGTH: Long : 105 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. Tim Raines of the New York Yankees is caughtby CNBstealing second base by Mark Lemke of the Atlanta Braves during the
third inning of Game 2 of the World Series on Monday in New York.
color. KEYWORDS: BASEBALL