Maddux endures delay, helps Braves to 7-0 win

CINCINNATI -- Greg Maddux got his breaking ball working and stayed sharp through a 64-minute delay Friday night, setting the tone with five shutout innings as the Atlanta Braves pulled away for a 7-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

Julio Franco had three hits, and Gary Sheffield returned to the Braves' lineup with an RBI double as the NL East leaders finished a reinvigorating month. Atlanta grabbed first place by winning 11 of its last 15 games.

The Reds returned from a one-week trip with Ken Griffey Jr. back in the lineup and a two-game lead in the NL Central. That, plus a Johnny Bench bobblehead doll giveaway, drew 38,777 fans, the largest crowd at Cinergy Field since opening day.

Griffey received a loud ovation when he was introduced before his first home game since April 7, when he tore a tendon in his right knee during a rundown.

Griffey walked and was caught stealing in the first inning, then bunted for Cincinnati's first hit against an infield shift in the fourth. He was 1-for-3 overall, leaving him 3-for-20 since his return from the disabled list last week.

Maddux (6-2) gave up only two singles in five innings. Chris Reitsma (3-2) took the loss.

Astros 4, Cubs 1

CHICAGO -- Richard Hidalgo hit two home runs and Carlos Hernandez allowed three hits over seven innings as Houston beat Chicago.

Sammy Sosa hit his major league-leading 19th homer for Chicago in the eighth inning.

Hernandez (5-2) struck out seven and walked a career-high five. The left-hander was replaced by Octavio Dotel at the start of the eighth, and Billy Wagner pitched the ninth for his eighth save.

Hidalgo opened the scoring in the seventh with his ninth homer of the season, a two-out shot off Cubs starter Jason Bere (1-8) that landed on Waveland Ave.

Hidalgo finished a 4-for-4 performance with another two-run homer off Juan Cruz in the ninth.

Expos 8, Phillies 7

PHILADELPHIA -- Troy O'Leary homered and drove in four runs, and Fernando Tatis added a two-run homer to lead Montreal over Philadelphia.

The Phillies, who finished two games behind Atlanta in the NL East last year, fell a season-worst 11 games under .500 with their sixth loss in seven games.

Jeremy Giambi, Mike Lieberthal, Marlon Anderson and Pat Burrell homered for Philadelphia, which rallied from a 5-0 first-inning deficit. But Jimmy Rollins and Anderson failed to get the potential tying run home from third in the ninth.

Montreal has won four straight against the Phillies, including a three-game sweep last week.

Brewers 12, Padres 1

SAN DIEGO -- Geoff Jenkins hit his first career grand slam, and Ruben Quevedo pitched seven strong innings to lead Milwaukee to victory.

Alex Sanchez matched his career best with four of Milwaukee's season-high 19 hits.

The Padres, who placed slugger Phil Nevin on the disabled list with a broken left arm earlier in the day, got their only run on a solo homer by Ryan Klesko in the fifth.

Quevedo (3-5) gave up one run on seven hits in front of a fireworks-night crowd of 56,167, San Diego's largest since opening day

-- From wire reports