Big Mac's Magic Act
When the Atlanta Braves came into St. Louis to face the Cardinals in the divisional playoffs, it was thought to be business as usual. Since the new playoff format (8 post-season teams instead of 4) was implemented in 1995, the Braves have dominated the first round. They had a record of 15 wins and 2 losses and have won each of the divisional series they participated in, which has been every year under the new format. This means they have basically had pre-season reservations to the National League Championship every year since the "Wildcard" format.
On the other hand, the Cardinals had made it to the playoffs only once in the last decade. They made it to the National League Championship Series in 1996, and as you may have already guessed or known, they lost that series to the Atlanta Braves.
This Y2K divisional playoff would not be business as usual for the Braves as many predicted, though. In game 1, 19 game winner and perennial Cy Young Award candidate Greg Maddux would be pulled after just four innings, in which he allowed 7 runs (5 of them earned). The Cardinals won that game 7 to 5, giving Maddux the loss and St. Louis a 1-0 lead in the series.
Game 2 was much of the same. Again, an Atlanta pitching ace was blown off of the field early. This time it was twenty game winner and perennial Cy Young Candidate Tom Glavine who was shelled in his shortest post-season outing ever. He allowed 7 earned runs in just 2 1/3 innings pitched, before being relieved. The Cardinals were hot and this time would not have their post-season run to the World Series cut short by Atlanta.
In game 2, center-fielder Jim Edmonds was 3 for 4 with 3 doubles, two runs scored, and two knocked in. Catcher Carl Hernandez hit a solo homer in the second inning; and left-fielder Ray Lankford chipped in with a two-run double in the third. While all the Cardinals offense would eventually add up to a game 2 victory, the most crucial at bat was in the bottom of the first inning.
Down one game already in the series, the Braves jumped ahead early with two runs in the first, quickly grabbing the momentum. Sure, they took it for a bit, a bit being the operative two words. With two Cardinals on and one out in the bottom of the first, Will Clark jacked a three-run dinger out of the yard, grabbing a lead that St.Louis would never relinquish.
Latest Articles