ATLANTA -- Atlanta manager Bobby Cox is going with Greg Maddux on three days rest for Game 4 of the NL Championship Series against Arizona on Saturday rather than Kevin Millwood, the Braves' No. 4 starter during the regular season.

	Maddux

"We're going to go with Maddux for sure tomorrow," Cox said Friday night, prior to Game 3. "Then we'll play it by ear again."

The only other time the Braves used a three-man rotation in the NLCS under Cox was in 1992 when they eliminated Pittsburgh in seven games, using John Smoltz (3 starts), Tom Glavine (2) and Steve Avery (2).

Millwood, 7-7 during the regular season, was not included on the roster for the division series in which Atlanta beat Houston in three games and Cox carried only 10 pitches.

For the NLCS, however, Cox activated Millwood. It was believed he would be used in Game 4.

When asked if Millwood was disappointed, Cox said: "He could still possibly start in this series."

Asked what that situation might be?

"I'd rather keep that to myself," said Cox.

Millwood, asked to comment as he raced in to the clubhouse following the pregame workout, said he would be back out in a couple of minutes, but after a 45-minute wait, never showed.

Maddux was 17-11 during the regular season, but hasn't won since Aug. 22 -- nine straight starts, his longest stretch without a win since 1991. That includes two postseason starts, including Tuesday's 2-0 loss to Randy Johnson and the Diamondbacks.

The four-time Cy Young winner, however, said he has no concerns about that or on pitching with only three days off.

"No, not at all. I've done it in the past," he said. "It's not like I throw hard anyway. I'm not going to lose anything off my fast ball.

"It's not that big a deal to come back. if you do it a month or two straight, then it might mean something," he said.

Maddux pitched well in the opener, allowing only six hits in seven innings and two runs. He wouldn't mind a similar effort.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I want to win. I want to do that different," he said.

Maddux will be matched against Albie Lopez, who was 9-19 with Tampa Bay and Arizona, but 2-0 against the Braves during the regular season, beating Atlanta 9-1 twice, once with the Devil Rays, and on Aug. 12 with Arizona.

"I've had good success throwing first-pitch strikes. These guys come out swinging for me, they hit a lot of pitches, and my defense played well for me," Lopez said.