How They Scored

ATLANTA 2ND:   C Jones grounded out to third.  A Jones walked.  J Franco 
doubled to left, A Jones scored.  V Castilla singled to left center, J Franco 
scored.  H Blanco singled to left, V Castilla to second.  G Maddux bunted into 
fielder's choice to pitcher, V Castilla out at third, H Blanco to second.  
R Furcal doubled to left, H Blanco scored, G Maddux to third.  M Giles struck out 
swinging. (3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors)  ATLANTA 3, FLORIDA 0.

FLORIDA 2ND:   J Encarnacion grounded out to third.  M Lowell homered to 
left.  D Lee flied out to right.  T Hollandsworth grounded out to second. 
(1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors)  ATLANTA 3, FLORIDA 1.

ATLANTA 3RD:   G Sheffield doubled to left.  C Jones struck out looking.  
A Jones walked.  G Sheffield to third, A Jones to second on wild pitch by 
M Redman. J Franco walked.  V Castilla walked, G Sheffield scored, A Jones to 
third, J Franco to second.  H Blanco grounded into double play, shortstop to 
first, V Castilla out at second.(1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors)  ATLANTA 4, FLORIDA 1.

ATLANTA 9TH:   V Nunez relieved M Tejera. G Sheffield fouled out to third.  
C Jones grounded out to first.  A Jones doubled to deep center.  J Franco walked. 
V Castilla homered to left, A Jones and J Franco scored.  H Blanco popped out 
to shallow center. (3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors)  ATLANTA 7, FLORIDA 1.

Game Story

MIAMI (Ticker) -- Greg Maddux finally had a performance worthy 
of his high standards.

Off to his worst start in 15 years, Maddux allowed just a run
and two hits in six innings and Vinny Castilla had a homer and
five RBI as the Atlanta Braves posted a 7-1 win over the Florida
Marlins.

Maddux (1-3) had been tagged for 24 runs - 18 earned - and 29
hits in 14 2/3 innings and had lost his first three decisions
for the first time since 1989.  Included in that stretch was an
outing against the Marlins on April 5 in which he allowed seven
earned runs in two innings.

"You don't have to be a very good hitter to hit a ball down the
middle," Maddux said of his outing eight days ago.  "I threw a
lot of pitches down the middle, and they're very good hitters."

But the veteran righthander settled in early Sunday, tossing a
scoreless first inning for the first time this season.  Maddux
also retired the final nine batters he faced before being
replaced by Roberto Hernandez to start the seventh.

"It felt good to help us win.  It's no fun losing," Maddux said.
"When you're fighting yourself, you've got to fight every
pitch.  I fought every pitch today.  Hopefully, next time out, I
can relax a little bit.  I didn't really settle down the way I
like to.  My mechanics were better, my location was better."

"I think it's important," Braves coach Bobby Cox said.  "Randy
Johnson is looking to get the first one under his belt, too.  So
is (Curt) Schilling and Pedro (Martinez).  It's good to get the
first one out of the way, that's for sure."

Maddux had thrown just 59 pitches when he came out with
stiffness in the left side of his neck.  He is not expected to
miss his next start.

"It's a little stiff.  It didn't bother me much," Maddux said.

"He's an artist," Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said.  "He showed
he was human to start the season, he does that occasionally."

Castilla had an RBI single off Florida starter Mark Redman (1-2)
in the second inning and drew a walk with the bases loaded in
the third to help the Braves open a 4-1 advantage.  The third
baseman capped the scoring with a three-run homer in the ninth.

"I didn't fare my best," Redman said.  "I fell behind hitters.
It's not my game, I didn't have it today."

Mike Lowell had a solo shot, but Juan Pierre's franchise-record
season-opening 12-game hitting streak came to an end as the
Marlins had their four-game winning streak snapped.

"He pitched with a lead, that's pretty much it," Pierre said.
"He threw down in the zone, that's typical Maddux."

The Braves scored three times in the second to give Maddux a
working lead.

Andruw Jones walked with one out and Julio Franco doubled him
home.

Castilla followed with a single to left-center field, knocking
in Franco and increasing Atlanta's lead to 2-0.

There were runners on first and second when Maddux attempted to
bunt, but Redman got Castilla in a force at third. However,
Rafael Furcal's double plated Henry Blanco to make it 3-0.

Lowell continued his success against Maddux with one out in the
bottom of the second.  The third baseman drove the first pitch
440 feet over the left field wall to pull Florida within two.

"What did you think (Maddux) was going to do, go 2-14?," Lowell
quipped.  "He's won 15 games for 15 straight years."

Lowell improved his career batting average against the four-time
Cy Young Award winner to .381 (16-for-42) with four home runs.

The Braves had restored their three-run advantage when Castilla
drove the first pitch from reliever Vladimir Nunez 396 feet over
the left field wall for his second home run of the season.

"We go out there and Greg pitched like him(self) and we came up
with some big hits," Castilla said.  "He's a great pitcher.  He
figured out what he was doing wrong and fixed it."

Atlanta closer John Smoltz yielded a hit and struck out four in
two scoreless innings to record his third saves.