Dr. Maddux Slices New York With Precision

How Greg Maddux gets away without wearing surgical scrubs for each performance remains a mystery.

Pitching might be the familiar term for what Maddux does. But micro-surgery would be a far more accurate description.

He should need a license to carry precision tools of such extraordinary sharpness, especially while occupying a location as central as a pitching mound.

With breathtaking accuracy, the Atlanta right-hander made fools of the New York Yankees in beating them 4-0 in Game 2 of the World Series on Monday night. Of the 82 pitches he threw in his eight innings, 62 were strikes. By changing speeds, Maddux had the Yankees looking naive and vulnerable.

Some enchanted evening it was not for New York, which made more than two-thirds of its outs on grounders. It was easy to spot the pattern as the succession of weak taps back to the mound coincided with the fading pulse of the Yankees. It is not just that they trail, two games to none, as the Series shifts to Atlanta tonight. The dire development was Maddux’s degree of domination.

About the only notable souvenir the Yankees will take away from their Series homestand is the bruise on shortstop Derek Jeter’s left wrist - courtesy of a Maddux pitch in the third inning.

In the second inning, Yankees starter Jimmy Key had hit teen sensation Andruw Jones, who had homered twice in the Braves’ 12-1 Game 1 victory.

Maddux went to work on New York with the type of accuracy rarely expected outside of medical operating theaters.

Considering he threw just 20 balls, Maddux had to have it practically dragged out of him that he likely would recall this game - his third career World Series outing and second Fall Classic win.

“Under the circumstances, this is probably going to be a game I’ll take to the grave with me,” he said.

The Yankees should do likewise.

They looked exasperated and totally declawed.

“He has a way of frustrating a hitter,” said Leo Mazzone, the Braves pitching coach. “His location was outstanding. The movement on the ball was great. He was hitting both sides of the plate… . He throws you a strike, but he still gives you nothing to hit. His accuracy is second to none. That’s the key.”

Yankees manager Joe Torre called Maddux a master.

In taming the current edition of the legendary Bronx franchise, the Braves appear poised to make short work of this Classic.

The Yankees do not appear poised at all.

“It’s the first team to four victories, and we’re halfway there,” said Mark Wohlers, who pitched the ninth. “We knew how difficult this place would be to win ballgames. We’re doing the little things. It’s all the little things.”

The way Maddux could locate a pitch in whatever little airspace he wanted did the Yankees no small favors, however. New York, hitting .175 in the Series, has scored one run. Two doubles represent the Yankees’ extrabase hits.

But Wohlers said Maddux has pitched the same way most of the season.

The way he pitched Monday buried the Yankees. Their fans will have to regard the night as memorable. The Series probably will not be coming back to New York.

Maddux made sure of that. Precisely.