1995 NLDS (Rockies @ Braves) Game Three [Rockies First-Ever Postseason Victory]

Bobby Cox has led these Atlanta Braves to a National League Championship Series on three previous occasions but it's the playoff newcomers who are getting it done this year rookie Chipper Jones with a game-winning homer in Game one former Montreal Expo marquise grissom with three home runs in the series including two in Game two to give the Braves in harmony and unheralded Mike Mordecai who delivered game twos game-winning hit and a patented Braves ninth-inning finish tonight John Smoltz tries to close out the series against Colorado Don Baylor has seen his Rockies let two games get away as really fishing and defense have stumbled the Blake Street bombers have more than lived up to their billing hitting a collective 400 but it's up to Billy Swift to shut down Atlanta as the Rockies try to survive in Game three of the 1995 division series [Applause] good evening everyone and welcome to Atlanta where the scene shifts tonight for Game three in the division series between the Colorado Rockies in the Atlanta Braves coming to you tonight from Atlanta Fulton County Stadium the Braves lead the best-of-five series two games to none hi everybody I'm Pete ban we're at along with Larry Dierker welcoming you to Atlanta the Braves do have that two games to nothing lead over the Rockies Larry but it hasn't been easy for Atlanta the Colorado Rockies had a chance in both Game one and Game two to pull out a victory well the Rockies have some strengths that's why they're in this playoff they're very tough team at home and they can hit but they're a young team and they were just a little bit jittery in Denver that was the difference the Braves had the poise of a veteran ballclub Don Baylor hoping to get one victory and keep this series alive for Game four tomorrow night before the game Larry had a chance to talk to Don Baylor and ask him up a mood at this club is tonight pretty good the finality of it all everybody knows that if we don't do it today it's gonna be an offseason where you kind of think about maybe could have won the first two ballgames but all right guys have had a fun run here they've enjoyed just kind of being in a playoff atmosphere but you know just to come out and say okay let's play as hard as we can today give it our best shot if we do that then we can come out here with a win bill Swift is going for you tonight a very fine pitcher but he's been on a pitch count is he on one tonight it depends on that Billy depends on how far in the ballgame he's a veteran he tells me when he's had enough and I kind of look at 70 80 pitches and and he's a veteran that knows his body and he knows what he can take he knows this could be the last game for this year a very tough assignment for the Colorado Rockies tonight as they'll be going up against John Smoltz virtually owned Iraqis during their three years of existence Larry Pete he has owned a lot of people he has got explosive stuff you've got a fastball that will ride up over your bow you get ready for that and you're gonna face it a breaking ball that will buckle your knees the first two nights the Rockies face guys who have finesse but tonight they're gonna face some real power at pitching matchup tonight John Smoltz for Atlanta opposed by Bill Swift he'll be pitching with a torn muscle in his shoulder but he's going to tough it out tonight that hopes again the Colorado Rockies a chance to extend the series to a game for tomorrow night [Music] welcome back to Atlanta Fulton County Stadium let's take a look at tonight's Budweiser starting lineup for the Colorado Rockies down two games to none in this series one change Mike kingery getting the start in center field in place of Ellis Burks tonight he'll bat second Billy Swift on the mound and batting ninth of course and facing John Smoltz and one interesting thing Larry this entire starting lineup for the Colorado Rockies in their career hitting just 186 against John Smoltz with one home run Andres Galarraga at that and of course a Larry Walker is the only guy that really had any success against him and Walker's the only dangerous left-handed batter they have and so for a Smoltz that's probably the strategy don't let Walker beat you as you look at the Braves defensively there was one question mark going into tonight's game and that was Jeff Blauser if you were with us for Game two you'll recall a collision out in left-center field between the Blauser and Ryan Klesko and watch blauser's right ankle here as it gets caught under Klesko he stayed in the game had the ankle taped up but was a question mark coming into tonight's game until after he took batting practice he did that Bobby Cox said he felt fine so Blauser is in the starting lineup tonight and here's their a gun to lead things off he is three and a 9 in the series committed that crucial error in the ninth inning of Game two and takes the first pitch low and away ball one Eric Craig calling the balls and strikes tonight different umpiring crew here in game 3 and we had on the first two outside again the count to nothing Eric Gregg behind the plate Frank pulli at first Bruce trending is at second Gary darling to third and the foul line umpires are at Montague and left and Bob Davidson and right there's a strike to the county line smokes five and Oh in his career against Colorado and he loves pitching and games like this Larry Dabney has been so good in the postseason five and one with a 193 earned run average Boren one in the LCS one and O in the World Series I think it brings his stuff up a little bit up a little too high on that pitch again and he can run this again he'll be the runner at first for Mike kingery Kingery starting tonight as we mentioned in place of Ellis Burks we also got banged up in that game you do up in Denver he had to leave the game with a mild concussion he also injured his right shoulder a little bit on that diving try but he is available to pinch-hit tonight Kingery 1 2 3 in the series the 269 hitter during the regular season pretty good all-around ballplayer and not a bad choice for this game probably does some of the things the number 2 hitter should do better than burst young was on the run as the pitch is fouled off by King ran the count over London talking about the the fawning game the hitting and running game Burks will bring more power to the lineup and perhaps a little more speed on the bases but Kingery is also fast checking now with his third-base coach see what Ron hassey has in store for him here this is very aggressive offensive ballclub Colorado very aggressive hitters and very aggressive on the base pads as well young girl had 35 stolen bases during the regular season has caught 12 times 10 out of 14 base stealers were successful when smokes is on the mound this year but 14 tries is not a lot for a guy that started 29 games he has a very quick release thought to get a good jump on them there goes the runner there goes the bunt down is false but when the race to 30 pounds cannery for the out the third is Eric Young that was a great bunt and one of the most athletic plays you will ever see a pitcher maker all the way from first to third and a terrific bunt by Mike kingery Smoltz realizes here that if he gets this ball there's going to be no one to flip it to and he actually brought the ball into the middle of his glove so that he could hold it on the tag boy what a play so a runner goes all the way from first to third on the but one and Dante Bichette the batter this is where you need a strikeout and this is the thing that makes smoke so special Bichette 5 for 8 in the series but in his career against John Smoltz he is old for 13 Smoltz had a hundred and ninety-three strikeouts this year in a hundred and ninety-three innings if he was gonna pick a spot for one strike out in this inning this would be the spot working from the stretch with a runner at third here's the one on delivery good breaking ball on ball one strike the chef 40 home runs on the year led the National League also Lenin RBIs with 128 struck out 96 times and 579 at-bats I think the Braves feel they can score against Bill Swift they're playing the infield back here good stop by Lopez and a fish they bounced about five feet out in front of the play God's most the first half of the season all he is three pitches fastball curve balls and a changeup he did not use the split finger pitch which he just threw there almost for a wild pitch and during the first half of the season John Smoltz did not have a single wild pitch he went back to throwing the split finger second half of the season 13 wild pitches so that's a pitch he has to be careful with here's the 2-1 on the way again you got to shut the chaser pitch out of the stretch you have to be careful with but this is a hitter you have to be careful with too this is the breaking ball looks like a strike on the outside corner Bichette is not at all a patient hitter you know very aggressive only walked 22 times this year five of those were intentional walks two balls two strikes runner at third one out bow back the breaking ball still 2 & 2 and John smokes guard the ball loose wild pitch charged to John Smoltz makes it a one-nothing Colorado do you have to say yeah one thing is beyond doubt here Pete Smoltz is up for this game the fielding play he made on the Kingery bunt and actually trying to block the plate with his body here in the first inning a run that could be important later but it probably won't be the end of the world for him but he's ready to do anything to win this game the throw is there in time but the collision between young and Smith started loose you won't see too many pitchers trying to block the plate with their body a Korean Won I'm Larry Walker [Applause] four three and two now two men out of one run in here's the three two on the way over the breaking balls regards a couple of strikeouts but in between the strikeouts his wild pitch cost him a run we go to the bottom half of the Mersey one nothing Rockies John Smoltz having his knee looked at by a Braves trainer Dave firstly as we go to the bottom half of the first inning Rockies leading at one nothing let's take a look at tonight's Budweiser starting lineup for the Atlanta Braves and this is the standard lineup that the Braves have pretty much used all season long dress of Lemke Jones McGriff Justus Klesko Lopez Blauser and Smoltz against right-hander Billy Swift and you really have to admire this guy Larry he's got a torn labrum muscle in his right shoulder and he's out there pitching he normally will show you a power sinker most of the time and offset that with a slider and changeup we understand that with a shoulder trouble you'll see more change ups and fewer sliders and as we look at the defense playing behind that Billy Swift Walt Weiss that makes six errors in the first two games of this series but because going to have to play a little here's marquise grissom believing and taking a strike christen 4 for 11 in the series he has a double he has three home runs if 12 homers during the regular season pops this one up final territory first base side near the stands reaching over the tire [Applause] as photo-op though Oh into the count Don Grissom [Music] when outside one ball two strikes swift a 21 game winner just two years ago the San Francisco Giants but he is right you're gonna see a lot of ground ball back that's one of the reasons the Rockies are not gunning for their ballpark a perfect pitcher for the mile high altitude to keep the ball on the ground the sinker is a late moving pitch it has a lot of the same action that Maddux is a sinker has when it's down low the ones you on the way down to third base right [Applause] [Music] it's a foul still one and two on Grissom Clift will say number-one draft pick back in June of 84 by the Seattle matters ballclub and he was a second player in the nation selected he is not only a very fine pitcher but he is also quick on his feet he feels his position well he can hit a little bit and he can run the bases when Don Baylor ran out of players in game one had to use a pitcher to pinch and I was a little surprised it wasn't this guy I was too but you can see why he wouldn't stand a right-handed hitting pitcher up against mark Wohlers anybody whitey or lefty through pitcher hitting against mark Wohlers you probably in for a short event - and to the gala Marquis person mark lemke will follow and then Chipper Jones another little dribbler down the third-base side swept with a barehanded pickup and he's not gonna try the throw Marlon's christen has an infield hit that's the kind of throw where if your labrum is torn it it might rip a little bit more if you try to throw back across your body you decided not to this 1995 Division Series game is brought to you by Chevrolet the cars and trucks 36 million people depend on everyday genuine Chevrolet McDonald's have you had your break today and beechwood aged Budweiser the king of beers this Bud's for you [Music] you're gonna see the angle the Swift handsome he tries to throw to first it's similar to a pickoff move where you have to come back across you can turn your body as he did there and you're fine but I can recall last year so that I was on the mound even a pickoff throw was a little bit of a problem Weinke two out of nine in the series throw 253 regular season makes a strike on the outside gonna Marquis personally we only true base-stealing Freddie at 29 stolen bases during the regular season the Braves of the team at only 73 Rocky's looting had won nothing here in the bottom of the first nobody out Grissom it first he is on the run the victuals [Applause] is also hi stolen base for Marquis Grissom [Applause] this lift really did not try to rush this delivery to the plate that gave Grissom an extra step or two and if you give him an extra step or two he's going to be safe every time a runner in scoring position the Gaucho and two on Limpy Thanks now you bet have a situation where limp you would like to pull the ball and that's why Swift ran it away from him it's really hard to try place hitting when you've got two strikes in the count you basically reduced to just trying to make some contact and hoping that whatever contact you make will move Grissom along here's the one two in the way a bouncing ball to third the runner nasty that looks the runner back throws on the first one another good pitch away by Swift Swift has been around [Applause] pitch a very competitive game there's a bit surprised that Don Baylor's comment to you that 70 or 80 pitches might be as far as bill Swift can go tonight if that's the case most pictures get to that level usually by the 6th inning or so which means that Don would have to get a lot of work out of his boat then again tonight the Braves did not hit four high average this year but they hit with power and they walked a lot pepper Jones takes a strike oh and one chipper is that a good series he is 5 to 10 in a couple of home runs at the game-winning home the walking a lot could be a problem for Swift because if they take him to a lot of deep counts he won't be able to pitch very many others that's taken high on the count one ball one strike hit the sinker and fighter working respect to make the neutralizer but what he's got to try to hope to do is get ahead in the count and make the batter hit the ball early in the count so he only uses a few pitches for each out here's the one one on the way to Chipper Jones flyball left-field on tape accepted his left makes the catch for Leggett said the Marquis Grissom two men gone [Applause] [Music] and the games underway Yankees trying to win that series most Boyett in Seattle remember in the bottom of the first scoreless in Cincinnati with the Reds up two games to nothing over the Dodgers McGriff two out of nine in the series of an RBI and that's what you were talking about Larry about Atlanta winning those first two games in Colorado the poise of this ballclub Fred McGriff Lee did not have a good first two games he didn't really contribute much but they were able to pull out the victories anyway with other people I think what happens with a team that has been winning for a number of years as that an inner confidence develops and new players that come to that team are swept up in it and so you have guys that are in their first year with the Braves this year who have been really the big and key players in the first two games down on the deck goes to 2 of nothing or runner at second two outs 10 RBIs up in Colorado eight by first-year players all five homers both game winning hips all by guys that are in their first year with the Braves Grissom getting his way down at second as Swift readies for the - Oh to the roof [Applause] and it goes to three another this is something that well he counts but if he does want to walk somebody is probably McGriff McGriff has hit 393 against him with three homers and justices hit 286 with a couple of Homer's so it's not a whole lot to choose from but I don't think he wants to give him the Griffin strike different have been your automatic three-and-oh call that was pretty long you know they say it sometimes it's difficult for a pitcher to throw a strike sometimes difficult for pitcher to throw a ball to he's trying to do and the price goes below if there is a misconception I think that major league pitchers are able to that's obviously not true otherwise you'd never see a light hitting pitcher draw-off but we see that all the time and you'd never see a pitch bride down the middle to a power hitter and see that all the time to first and second with two outs for Atlanta here's David Justice he was two out of six in the first two games twenty-four hundred seventy eight RBIs during the regular season and he takes a strike to the outside corner nothing in one [Applause] for the exclusive company for man [Applause] here's the O one on the way and a broken bat roller out for second Eric Young throws on the first in time I throw that Galarraga loved it we go to the top half of hitting two with the Colorado Rockies leading Atlanta one to nothing and the Braves in the second but first this update the Dodgers in the Reds Larkins on 30 at stolen third that day on Nomo though breezes Sanders and gets out of the inning so right now it's scoreless Dodgers and Red's back to Pete the Larry okay thank you John we got some great pitching matchups tonight we're gonna be keeping an eye on for the all night long [Applause] got Valerio Randy Johnson right you've got some of the guys that have to be used late in the years or by the teams that could not set up their rotation and so some of the better pitchers are pitching tonight makes the pitch hide outside he's playing with a bad hamstring any question for you feat Hideo Nomo you saw that fits good fastball low in a way to freeze Sanders in the strikeout out of the inning is normal a rookie now to shorten or plows or gloves [Applause] that's a question that a lot of the writers who were voting in the Rookie of the Year balloting were talking about the last couple of weeks of the season is he a pure wookie or do those six years of playing Major League Baseball in Japan disqualify them a little bit well let me put it to you this way then under major league baseball rules he is a rookie this gives us bolts went over to Japan what he qualify for Rookie of the Year there if almost eligible for Rookie of the Year here Smoltz would have to be over there quid pro pro right well I don't know I don't know what their rules are over there do you watch the guy pitch it and of course when you watch the Chipper Jones play doesn't look like a rookie either but the no mauls obviously has a lot of experience we have a player in the game tonight who cause the Rookie of the Year award rules to be changed Larry Walker remember he spent the entire year with the Montreal Expos on the disabled list the next year he had a great season and it was a big question mark all season long since he was on the DL in the major league level this entire season before was he a true rookie the original rule said no that they changed the rules after that to go now by a number of advance number of innings pitched one ball two strikes on Vinny Castilla two four six with a home run of the series this is Lona way to zero Rocky is leading it one-nothing a walk a sacrifice bunt that moved Eric Young all the way from first to third on a wild pitch from John Smoltz accounting for the Colorado run in the first [Applause] here's the tutu and the breaking ball has filed off stay tuned Castillo wants property of the Atlanta Braves that lost him in the expansion draft I don't know that they ever thought he would become a power hitter as he had but he was a good prospect I'm sure they were not happy to lose him yet prospect with some power but he's booked up a little bit since coming over to Colorado he's much thicker now he was a member of the Atlanta Braves as a shortstop here in the minor leagues but probably right now if it's the third based prototype a little better he is not the fastest guy around another to to pitch on the way to Castilla des will have to throw him out and does [Applause] [Applause] I see so many guys swinging at bad pitches when Smoltz is working and that's just the way Ted likes it to God that'll bring up Joe Girardi the Rockies catcher 1 for 7 in the series is hitting tailed off toward the end of the year but don't you find that happens to a lot of catchers we're out there every day Larry you sure do and I think that's why it's a big advantage to have two catchers that you can alternate a lot of the managers favor one regular catcher because he gets to know the pitching staff so well but recently there have been some clubs that have been using two catchers as the Braves do the Charlie O'Brien as you see there he catches quite a bit and it really will keep both guys stronger in the late part of the season there's the one one out of two out here there's a line drive right center field marquise grissom goes back on the ball makes the catch and it's a 1-2-3 inning for John Smoltz nothing doing for the Rockies in the top of the second they go to the bottom an opening to one nothing Colorado he's in the Braves continued in a moment but the Indians in the Red Sox Eddie Murray's already aboard Jim Thome facing Timothy Wakefield this thing is certainly deep enough but is it fair just over top of the foul pole it is a fair ball and it's a two-run home run the Indians looking for the sweep now with a two to nothing lead in the second peat Larry ok John thank you Indians trying to and the Red Sox their 13th consecutive postseason loss Ryan fresco leading off back nothing into I'm Fusco he's 3 for 7 in the series would you first watch Klesko you have the feeling that he's in all or nothing you get her because he swings so hard and usually a guy like that isn't exclusively a pull hitter and you can trick him a lot of times with off-speed pitches but this guy is a little better than that really he'll take you to the opposite field my CalPERS to they catch your face that was a real nice change up in the it's a pitch that Swift has been featuring since he's having the arm trouble he's lost a little velocity and perhaps just a little bit of a sharpness on his breaking pitch so he'll work that changeup hit a little more often Lopes at 315 during the regular season chopper to the left side Castilla feels the throw across to first in time and Swift having the kind of inning that Don Baylor would like to see him there who's only thrown 4 pitches here and he's got 2 outs if you're 21 in the first inning so if he can get through this inning with less than 10 he'll be back on a pretty good face gonna bring up Jeff Blauser lousy row for 4 in the series and as we told you a question mark coming into tonight's game he lined up hosted by Bobby Cox devout of anybody listed a shortstop initial it was either gonna be Blauser or Rafael Belliard depending on how Jeff's ankle responded and he took batting practice but he's in there batting with two outs and the bases empty and bouncing one up the middle nice got him while twice takes have a sit away from jeff blauser and it's a 1-2-3 inning on just five pitches for Billy Swift still Rockies lead one to nothing as we move to the third inning Walt Weiss and at the bottom of the second with a beautiful play out behind second base he can make the spectacular play to end the inning in routine play pretty well - here he is waiting off the 3rd taking a strike from Smoltz he is 1 for 5 in the series twice has playoff experience with the Oakland A's he's a very valuable player on a team though he is not generally one of the most spectacular players in the league but he gets on base a lot he walked 98 times this year and he's what you call a two-out shortstop this one foul down the first base I'll say what does that mean that means of your pitching and there's a guy on third base and somebody hits a ground ball to short you walk to the dugout and you don't have to look at first base and you don't have to worry about which base you're gonna back up if he throws it away because you know he's gonna make the play here comes the 1 2 pitch to Weiss now from Smoltz breaking ball stayed outside 2 & 2 the count and Walt Weiss will be followed by the pitcher bill Swift and back at the top of the order Eric Young but you might think most shortstops at this level should be that way but they aren't just missed outside full count now 3 & 2 there are quite a few really that could make that spectacular play that wise just made but won't always make that two-out play for you the routine play here's the three tune out of why city lines this one in the right-center field that's in for a base hit over quickly marquise grissom why Sethe big turn at first but he'll hold on there the leadoff single that's the first hit of the game for the Rockies off skills and it'll bring out the pitcher bill Swift in a bunt situation take a look at the swing trying to get that pitch away got it over the middle of the plate then Weiss trying to do anything special with it just punched a line drive out over second base Swift showing bunt then pulled back runner going thrown out a second by Lopes his late strategy well I think that the Rockies are going to play an extremely aggressive game on the bases if they can getting men on is the difficult part against Smoltz but they really are in a point where they've got nothing to lose they're down two to nothing they're on the road and I think they just feel like they're gonna take it to them with all they've got and have nothing to be ashamed of or feel like they've left nothing nothing behind if they lose now we'll see what Swift is doing he's a good hitting pitcher as we told you hit 194 this year with a home run he shows bunt takes it high and I began to know Thanks another look down at third base coach Ron hassey Rocky's leading in one-nothing we're in the top half of the third a runner at second with nobody out strike to the outside corner doing one do it when mccannon swift wife's getting his lead again he shows bunt takes a strike on the outside corner can't even now 2 & 2 [Applause] here's the 2 2 pitch and he bunts it foul down the third base line that's a strikeout tried to bump for a base hit would not square around well the stolen base by Weiss has certainly accomplished what a sacrifice ordinarily would have but the Rockies had a better opportunity if they could have moved Weiss to third base we're not able to do that that is the fourth strikeout for John Smoltz and we go back to the top of the order now in Eric Young who drew a walk moved from first to third on the sacrifice bunt by kingery and then came home in a wild pitch back in the first inning but the games only running young came over in the expansion draft from the Dodgers the Rockies really made a lot of good picks on that expansion draft ball no strikes what listen right by Frank pulli we've got the home plate umpire here tonight that gives the short right jab on the strike call and the Frank pulleys right jammed a little bit longer a little quicker [Music] breaking ball a little bit high and account even now on strike one man out Weiss down at second rock he's leading in one nothing top of the third in Game three Braves are around toward right field for young first they've been playing just about everybody to hit to the opposite field in the outfield young was not getting much playing time first half of the year and then after the all-star break he began the tuning at second base to Jayson Bates it began playing so well if Tom Benton has left him out there every day and a five-year itting 3:17 his defense has been a little unreliable but his offense has just been so impressive the second half it's not just the hitting he did hit 317 but he also walked 49 times for where a guy that did not play the full season that's a lot of on-base percentage and when he gets on he can run he said the first half of the year he was getting so little playing time he was almost sure he was going to be dealt somewhere else before the year was over the one to is if high in the air pretty deep going back Ryan thanks the catch against the wall or did he know he did not it's good homerun though had just enough to get over the left-field wall homerun for Eric young makes it 3 nothing Rockies [Applause] let's go leaping against the wall looks like he might grab it out of you racing down the line called young out and I suppose you still have to produce the evidence you see the leaf by Klesko just enough to get [Applause] into the seats not the band of kingery for a strike nothing at 1:00 he had a sacrifice but back in the first inning here's another look watch how close this ball was to being caught watch how much it missed the fence planted by a couple of inches baseball is a game of inches Pete here's the owner popped him up into shallow left-center field boughs are drifting back Grissom coming on he's going to stay with [Applause] [Music] to God with two runs in and the Rockies now up three nothing for Dante Bichette there was a strikeout victim in the first Eric Young had six home runs during the regular season I wonder how many of them came to left field Bichette takes a strike on the outside corner the crowd has been somewhat silenced by this early scoring by Colorado for young it has certainly been the satisfying to reach in the 1st and score and then hit a two-run homer because his error though it did not cost the Rockies the lead they were already behind certainly changed things in Game two and that's or his field that was a one-run ballgame until that error open up a three-run lead nothing into the count on Dante Bichette [Applause] the Braves have been behind in both games but they have not been as far as three runs behind [Applause] one ball two strikes as Paul do too remember the chefs first at-bat smokes gotta move chase a couple of that were not strikes if he tries to get him to chase another one here the count to do [Applause] one there and what a catch by mr. Larry Dierker take care of you buddy terrific there it is this one standing cat and the count holds ten to and stuff the middle that's going to get through to centerfield for a base hit Dante Bichette with his sixth hit of this series [Applause] and the third here in the top of it there and that'll bring pitching coach Leo Mazzoni out with Larry Walker do up [Applause] Leo Mazzoni was John Smoltz his pitching coach at triple-a after the Braves acquired Smoltz from the Detroit Tigers organization while he was still in the minor leagues and in an unusual move that I've never heard of before Larry when sports was called up to the major leagues for the first time his first start came in New York against the Mets at Shea Stadium and because Leo Mazzoni had worked so closely with him he also brought Leo who was the Richmond pitching coach to New York to sit in the front row box seat watch smokes his first major league start which he won we have really done an excellent job with these pitchers sure he's got raw material like there's a lot of raw material of this level and he has refined it Larry Walker a strikeout victim in the first [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Dante Bichette down a second [Applause] [Music] I'm John Smoltz [Applause] I'm not sure he has had a game in the postseason yet where he's had this much trouble [Applause] and can see Bobby parks a little concerned with the early innings performance expose here Andres Galarraga the battery grounded out to short his first time up while your rights most without five in one postseason record he also has pitched a division clinching game in 1991 at pitch Game seven one against the Pirates in the National League Championship Series in 1991 pitched in Game seven in the World Series and match two Jack Morris inning for inning a lot of games like this if you've been on the ropes a lot too but he has not been knocked out he's been able to get out of trouble like this with the strikeout it'll pop up ground ball and even though he has been in trouble he's been able to keep the runs down now he's already been touched for three and it could be more there's the 1 1 2 gonna rocket foul back 102 Galarraga has never had much success in this career against multi-store 2:30 and until the Eric Young homer in this inning Galarraga a member of his Rockies started Lana for whatever hovered fossils do all thank again still want to do going more to the fastball and that's certainly a luxury when you've got that kind of fastball or when you start to lose command of your other pitches you can just go blow your way out of an inning and then regroup in the Nexen the gal folks lined into the seats Galarraga have been seeing the fastball away now with the breaking ball it starts in it's almost a belated half swing just to try to stay alive again the 1 2 pitch on the way and it's popped foul again back into the ground this is 30 second pitch of this inning Hayes up over 60 now so the pitch count an important thing for Bill Swift but it's also rising now for John Smoltz to the point where Atlanta's bullpen is going to get into action for the first time grad clocks begins to loosen that's all for Galaga strikeouts for sports but two more Rockies runs are in on the Eric Young Homer he's up three nothing means I'm the Yankees in the Mariners Randy Johnson and Jack McDowell and a great pitcher's duel until Bernie Williams tees this one up to the opposite field he's been on fire since August this home run gives the Yankees a one nothing lead they are in the fourth inning we'll keep you up-to-date right now back to Pete Larry okay thank you John we've got some scoring in this game as well 3-nothing Colorado topples we go to the bottom of the bowl Bernie Williams got some serious opposite field power gunsmoke's leading it off here in the bottom of the third had a 107 batting average during the regular season it's this one backup the millisecond [Applause] and here's from the crowd about it it's unlike him thing about that is that the he made those place in the first inning coming off the mound and diving for a tag play at first and then blocking the plate with his body on a wild pitch could be that knee is bothering him a little more than we realize maybe he just realizes as well that he is thrown over 60 pitches now and wants to conserve some energy on a ball he would have been out on anyway marquise grissom takes a strike they sit in the first day I think it's going to keep bumblebees in those hands too after that ground ball off his fists Mayo one to Grissom is viola we got nothing into [Applause] let's take another look here at the brown ball off the counter space bull runs in on him in jamsi we've tried to bring his hams him to get the head of the bed on it but he was not successful he's hurt Mary Vidal about that one although that threw his shoulders I'll buy the Grissom one ball two strikes Leo Mazzoni with some advice for Smoltz flyball to centerfield fairly deep [Applause] dragon makes the catch two down and that's six in a row retired now by Bill Swift and the batter will be mark lemke [Applause] Indians now arena thing over the Red Sox as they try to sweep that series the Indians against the Braves would be an interesting World Series that's the one you hear a lot of the pundits say they'd like to see but of course they're supported to be done to get there beyond that the natural team nickname thing you've got the classic starting pitching of the Braves against the hard-hitting of the Indians this way did not go got one of always right [Applause] two men on bases empty we're in the bottom of the third with Iraqis leading it three nothing b-ball outside corner one two [Applause] to how do you think bill Swift has treated all of the brothers and sisters two tickets to this ballgame he's got 15 of them bouncing ball out for a short walk charges dealer throws and gets him a 1-2-3 inning and at the end of three complete here in Game three it's the Colorado Rockies stay alive bullet for east hardy Moorefield tonight after the game the Red Sox struggling with his control with two out he walked Bell Murray and then Tomei and that one walks in by Erica who had single so the Indians lead is now three nothing in the third back to Pete Larry okay thank you John the first pitch to Vinny Castilla popped foul and clocked by Javy Lopez you know Larry you pitched I know a long time against the guy who threw a knuckleball and helped Tim Wakefield this year Phil Niekro and he or Wakefield or anybody that throws that knuckle ball will tell you there are some nights when you don't know where it well most nights you don't know where it's going but you can have those nights when you just can't throw a strike with it that's what really makes Phil Niekro career so remarkable because there weren't that many of them most of the time he could get it in there Girardi liens on a fight Jones who had a great series both offensively and defensively two men out it's a reaction position he slid a little bit to his left that time had to go back to where he was to begin with and it was quick enough to do it two pitches two outs here in the top half of the fourth inning in the batter will be Walt Weiss and a base hit stole a base and came home on Erik Young's homered his first time up takes outside ball one inside corner one ball one strike II inning here for John Smoltz after being touched up for two runs in the third see if he settles down here he's got the first two this is the guy that started it last time Weiss and a little chopper to the right side very easy inning Chris Cole says when he throws on the grill he has a 1-2-3 inning they go to the bottom half of the fourth inning Colorado still leads it three nothing we go to the bottom half of the fourth inning Colorado on top three nothing in Game three Chipper Jones Fred McGriff and David Justice do up here and they bottom half of the fourth inning Chipper Jones flied out to left his first time up notice the way Chipper Jones is wearing his size at the old style that began when one of his real buddies on this team Steve Bedrosian then there's bedrock in the crowd tonight retired from the ditching staff of the Atlanta Braves II just always wear his socks like that in the day after Steve Bedrosian retired Chipper Jones began wearing his his tribute to his former teammate [Applause] didn't seem to affect his play much did it [Applause] first a little bit high and wide but Galarraga able to make the crab one down this 1995 Division Series game is brought to you by smooth Bush beer and easy drinkin bush light Texaco Havoline formula 3 motor oil add more life to your car take it to the star & Buick at your local Buick dealers remember Buick the new symbol for quality in America one out here's Fred McGriff who walked in the first inning that's the last man to reach base off 20 Swift [Applause] he has retired eight in a row here's the one Oh bouncing ball left side Weiss another great stop along twice McGriff has himself an infield hit when you think of the degree of difficulty on the throw and you contrast that with Eric Young's problems making a routine throw from second base it's really remarkable because Jung has had trouble throwing the ball straight to Galarraga and why seems to be able to do it from anywhere in any position only the second hit allowed by Bill Swift it'll bring up David Justice he grounded out to second his first time up one ball no strikes justice if there have been a number of second baseman that have had that problem Steve sax comes to mind it's a short throw and if you just playing gets with a guy it's an easy throw but sometimes metal thing squeeze the ball justice [Applause] man out McGriff the runner at first [Applause] it was the tool on the way that's up Gustus now goes to priya nothing once again here is John Saunders guys a wild play in the Dodgers Reds game Mike Piazza at the plate laces this one out to left field and watch Ron Gant chasing after it having trouble picking the ball up so Chad fonville is coming around third going in to score the throw comes in he is in there except for one thing Joe West not making the call you didn't touch the plate fonville the tag apply by Santiago and it remains scoreless in the third inning eat larry okay John thank you we've got runners at first and second with one man out after David Justice that's the second walk issued by Swift let's go a strikeout victim high scores down up the Dodgers have been playing like the inexperienced to the jittery team a lot like the rock you played in the games of a Denver that's a bit surprising with some of the veteran players they have it not so surprising defensively right though they have had their fielding problems but that mistake by fonville is to baserunning error fresco justice the runner at first McGriff down at second here's the old one on the way line down the left-field line headed for the corner along 3rd McGriff he will score heading for third [Music] as the throw comes back it's an RBI [Applause] talked about him earlier being in [Applause] and sometimes the off-speed kits the other way first time up he swung way out in front of a changeup and struck out this time he waits a little longer made an adjustment and gets a big hit on a pretty good pitch that's his first RBI of the series runners at second and third still only one out and hobby Lopez the better grounded out to third his first time up [Applause] are you surprised to find the infield in a little bit blowing away ball one Lopez another hitter who learned this year to go the other way and a bilious which continues to kitchen away might be surprised to see Lopez she have been said that the if you play the infield in it will make a a 250 hitter a 350 hitter and of course both those [Music] and we are tied 3-3 well you just saw something from two young hitters that sometimes to go the other way we've talked a lot about Leo Mazzoni perhaps not enough about Clarence Jones these young guys seem to know how to hit and he's the guy that coaches second and third RBIs of the series for Javy Lopez we are tied 3-3 Larry Bernard the Rockies pitching coach after the mound for a brief meeting with Bill Swift we think up young would have been able to make that play if he hadn't been playing in possibly maybe it was up the middle a little bit and depending on where he stationed himself he may have been able to make that play it what happens when you bring that infield in is that a sharply hit ball gives the infielder almost no time to react right hit right to them of course then it the strategy works out and on a slowly hit ball it really works well because we runner can't score where he would have on a ground ball but if you take the chance of the beginning and now the Braves have something cooking Jeff Blauser grounded out to short his first time up hello in outside ball one one of the things that the two-run single by Javy Lopez did was change Bobby Cox's mind trying to get some runs on the board here he and Brad Platz warming up in the bullpen and was going to pinch-hit for Smoltz but now they both been quiet Smoltz has moved out on deck now that the Braves have time to score one Oh has popped up foul territory into the seats one ball one strike get some bullpen activity [Applause] he's going to sit down pretty Bobby Cox seems to be a little bit more patient than Don Baylor Baylor likes to try and make things happen Cox will wait for things to happen and there's no right way or wrong way it's basically a matter of style one ball one strike and Blauser still only one out here on the bottom of the fourth I think the important thing for a manager is that his strategies work a high enough percentage of the time that the players have confidence in him and have the feeling that he knows what he's doing and I think that would be true of both of these skippers it file off to the left - and to now Geoff Beiser as most people feel Batman right we'll win the award this year for the National League Manager of the year for taking this third year team into postseason play he has great leadership qualities though he does like to play an aggressive game he does not appear to be the hyperactive nervous sort in the dugout he inspires confidence by his demeanor two balls two strikes on Glaser Lopez the runner at first now back off the screens do 2 & 2 [Applause] Brian Fresco's RBI double got the Braves on the board then two more runs school on the Lopez single time [Applause] whoa guys chase car another case of a young player in his first playoff coming up with a big hit [Applause] Billy Swift having to throw a lot of pitches in this inning he's approaching 60 [Applause] for the game runner goes the pitch drop to a cloud brought a second Lopez I guess he thought it was ball four d he's head of a snake so a base running mistake he thought it was ball four did not see Eric Greg call the third strike on jeff blauser then we go to the fifth inning tied it's in the Braves in a moment but the Dodgers and the Reds in the third watch Larkin take off like he's gonna go to second but he eventually gets there anyway because Ron Gant just laces this Nomo pitch out for a two-run home run and the Reds taking two nothing lead in the fourth the Yankees meantime had a one nothing lead in the fifth but Tino Martinez with a runner aboard a blackjack McDowell to center field the two-run home run puts the Mariners on top in this one and they lead it now in the fifth inning to one people Larry okay thank you John rafael belliard has checked into the game here in Atlanta replacing Jeff Blauser at short Blauser remember was questionable before tonight's game because of an ailing ankle but I'm not sure if the anchor they've got the lineup this time watch this right off the top of his left foot Bobby Cox he came on to the game arrogant first pitch swinging flyball right field for the Gustus there makes the catch two cookies two outs and gone stall says now retired six in a row he's beginning to settle down young had a two-run homer back into third things were looking rosy for the Rockies then they'd opened up a three nothing lead the Braves have bounced back to tie it and the batter will be my Kingery a sacrifice bun and a pop-out too short for Kingery tonight [Applause] the rocket were very close to delivering the knockout punch on Smoltz I would have been in there to run third you talked earlier about Bobby Cox being very patient and injury patient particularly with starting pitching across mayhem fourarms he's got you won't see him panic in a situation when I've got to but with Maddux and Glavine they have such excellent control if they do have elapsed and give up a couple of runs it's generally because they've lost command of the strike zone and usually they'll get it back it's a striking again two and one the Smoltz he's got such great stuff if he even finds the strike zone at all not even the corners but just the strike zone chances are he'll get himself back in the game Anthony's in the count even 2 and 2 on gingery [Applause] bounced off foul still two balls two strikes if we do go to a game for Bobby Cox's going with a three-man rotation in this best-of-five series would come back with greg maddux tomorrow night Bret Saberhagen got the start for the Colorado Rockies back out to sports [Applause] creating the gonna be part of that bidding five all-time we go to the bottom half of the fifth inning tied at three John Smoltz leads it off against Bill Swift he grounded out to second as first the fact takes a strike [Applause] [Applause] it's could be a canning for those fingers a 50 Beeler privative game say 70 or 80 pitches is usually the mark that will let them know how he's feeling if he can't see his arm position his release point is up a little over sidearm but I think when he is sound his release point will be even a little higher than that and it will give him a better angle on his breaking pitch and more sinking action on his fastball he still got good movement but it's a little flat doing dude account he will undergo surgery on the right shoulder when the season is over [Applause] here's the - - bouncing ball up the middle there's what once again one for marquise grissom tomorrow on abc's college football it's a great gridiron double-header first at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific the Ohio State Buckeyes traveled a Happy Valley to take on the Nittany Lions of Penn State then at 3:30 Eastern 12:30 Pacific its the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame facing the Washington Huskies that's live tomorrow here on ABC Sports marquise grissom one for two he had a infield hit in the first inning flied out to Center in the third blinds us for the right feel that's gonna drop in for a base hit and press on the board with one out he stole the base back in the first inning we'll keep an eye on a mirror see if he's going with mark lemke coming to the plate when Grissom reached in the first Swift made a no attempt to use a slide step or very as pitch and that's another thing that can be a problem for a pitcher if he's nursing a tender arm but you try that slide step you've really got to go through your armor mechanics quickly and sometimes that hurts a runner at first with one out and a tie game bottom of the fifth over to first Jason Grissom banker [Applause] again the first again marques back safely [Applause] now the on the way to Olympia took a shot for black tiles it off down there Drock these are playing Lemke to pull the ball in the outfield he will sometimes see teams fooled by mark Lemke strength he's not a big home run hitter but he does have some power many times an outfield will get caught playing him a little too shallow about medium depth on them right now [Applause] and the first again Grissom back safely [Applause] 20 certainly not among the the marquee players for the Braves but he's a good solid player particularly good defensively and he was not with a bat late in the season [Applause] the number 8 spot for about the first half or maybe a little more than the first half jeff blauser went down the number-two spot on the order started going up sometimes a hitter with Houston patience has a lot of trouble hitting eighth because the pitchers have work around you whereas if you hit second and you you really feel like you're contributing a lot by walking you'll be a little bit more patient and have a little more success here's the 2 1 delivery grounded file on the right side it could be very frustrating to hit 8 from alignment a lot of guys who are pretty good hitters have trouble doing it or pushing you're good enough hitter you know you never are asked to do that there's a number 8 hitter who is handled I decide them very well extremely well [Applause] recently and enlisted number eight with the dick Williams after the game and said I really don't like the next day was any mine a lot to the plate one thing that will help the number 8 hitter the see more pitches is a good lead off man if you have a leadoff man that is very fast but it doesn't walk very often and doesn't have much power say a Otis Nixon type maybe the pitcher is not afraid of him knocking in around so he'll pitch around the a theater and the pitcher sometimes the top pitch around the pitcher good but basically not fear the leadoff man so you're looking at and a lot of different ways of down the line up to get out of trouble but if you got somebody like marquise grissom or Petros or somebody's got some some pop hitting leadoff that'll affect your thinking on the number eight hitter still 2 & 2 I'm lemke a lot of throws to first try to keep marquise grissom [Applause] seven for his face in this sequence [Applause] here's the tutu and it misses outside of the county no activity in the Rockies Vulcan [Applause] Chipper Jones waits on back [Music] have a good jump on that pitch running on a 3-2 count you're just counting on the hitter to defend against the strikeout and the last inning Jeff Blauser was unable to do that he was called out on strikes and Javy Lopez was running on a 3-2 pitch was thrown out stealing Lemke usually puts the ball in play only 40 strikeouts this year 399 at-bats there goes Kristen again this time Lemke bust out try to second base and Joe Girardi has done down to in the last two innings we go to the sixth still tied three three three three Braves and Rockies and the bottom of the fifth inning ended with a strikeout throw out double play the pitch was a changeup so it was very close why is a sweet tag actually cut the leg that wasn't heading for the bag lady not the top of the sixth year for the Rockies is Dante Bichette a strikeout on signal has six hits in ten advance in this series the National League leader in home runs [Applause] very aggressive in the sense that he doesn't draw many walks but he is not overly aggressive in the sense that he over swings very open it's a very controlled cut at the ball back to count 1 into the early arrivals of the Stadium tonight got to see quite a show put on Lyon Fusco hitting balls deep into the seats for Atlanta Dante Bichette Andres Galarraga drilling him into the club level in left-field doing to the countdown for chef [Applause] play next year in the left field that's gonna drop for a base hit he has his seventh into this series a leadoff single to start the sixth inning and that'll bring up cleanup hitter Larry Walker and as he steps in let's go to John Saunders for another division series update John we shed finally solving Smoltz meantime the Dodgers in the Reds roll Monda C against David Wells just a little fool for it gets out there as Paris trucks in and 2 to 1 the Dodgers getting back but in the next half inning Nomo facing Bret Boone and Boone just blasts this one out of there to centerfield to make it another 2 run lead 3 to 1 the Reds on top now in the fifth back to Pete and Larry ok John thank you John Smoltz with Dante Bichette at first base nobody out throws over there the Braves bullpen and swung into action [Applause] grounded slowly fouled on the first day so I had to kind of mother Bichette 2 for 3 in the game after that they sent to lead off the inning DM gone over his first four team in his career against John Smoltz before those singles and they third inning in the sixth inning three runs four hits for the Rockies three runs five hits for the Braves top of the sixth this game following disc about the same pattern the first two day side of the infield Chipper Jones I was disgusted with himself as he missed a hanging breaking ball he fired his bat away before heading down the line now he's talking to himself rounded out to short and struck out [Applause] bounciglius montreal expos back in 1986 yes I do he got off to such a slow start there's been for a long long time but he got off the central horrible start his very first month striking out a lot hitting under 200 that the Expos would not required Jason Thompson and put him in at first base and we're thinking about sending Galarraga down and all of a sudden the it's began to fall for Galarraga and he's been a certified star ever since the o1 phase two baptism arrow into his last year in [Applause] go to st. Louis and he did not perform all that well for the Cardinals with batting coach was Don Baylor and Baylor believed in him thought he would for the Rocky he's so strong they are too small strikes have Galarraga for the second time tonight that's a half dozen strikeouts in the game for John Smoltz two outs in the inning and breaking ball again it was up a little bit not really exactly where you would like to throw it but still good enough to get by him and John Smoltz moving up on a postseason list in strikeouts there's a strike to the outside corner to Vinny Castilla that gives him 73 tied with Dave Stewart guys and struck out long in Smoltz in postseason play pretty good group whitey for Bob Dixon Jim Palmer and Steve Carlton but the Braves go far this year he could go to the top of that list in 95 Vinny Castilla has stuck out and this one hit high and deep to left centerfield Klesko going back Grissom going back to the wall and that was gone two-run homer for Vinny Castilla giving the Colorado Rockies of five to three lead that is caste is second home run of the series and for the folks up back in the Colorado area we were disappointed in their team's performance in the first two game you'll see very clearly that this team is not going to give up and this team does have quite a bit of talent as they have just knocked John Smoltz out of the game Castillo climbing on a hanging slider high pitch actually backed up a little and the Rockies have taken a five to three late ending the night for John Smoltz the new Atlanta pitcher rookie side armer Brad plumps he take a look at that pitching line tonight for John Smoltz and in 11 postseason games that is the most runs he had ever allowed and this was the knockout punch the breaking ball that stays high it's kind of pitch when he gets about halfway up there you wish you could reach out there and grab it back and specially with a guy like Castilla is up there and a couple of home runs in the playoffs and he had 33 of them during the regular season the new Atlanta pitcher right-hander Brad Platz making his first appearance in this series pitched in 59 games with an 8 and 1 record and four saves he gets six of those winds out of the bullpen in one month sometimes you'll get to be the good luck that you there yeah they're really you will find a lot of times that you have a relief pitcher that seems to draw runs that have you bringing in when you're behind the team for some reason or other seems to come back and take a lead and get him a win Gerardi the batter its it over the glove of class mark Lemke behind the bag at second times and draws to first in time [Applause] in the top half of the sixth inning but a two-run homer by Vinny Castilla off of John Smoltz has given the Rockies of five to three lead John Smoltz out of the game trailing five to three mark Lemke's saving a base hit here as read fonskin monkey doesn't always give you office but he always gives you defense and that's why he plays every takes a strike yes fly the lefty has grounded out the second gutsy performance tonight by Bill Swift he's still out there in the 6th inning Don Baylor said prior to the game and he'd be looking at a 70 to 80 pitch limit for Swift depending on how slow felt to start the bottom half of the sixth inning at number six off of Bill Swift this 1995 Division Series game is brought to you by Toyota and their full line of quality cars and trucks Toyota I love what you do for me Network mci how to get modern communications technology working for your business and gillette sensor and the Gillette series Gillette the best a man can get walked and singled the runner at first nobody out Bruce Ruffin is up in the Rockies both in bouncing ball to short Weiss steps on second on the first number play he DoublePlay therefore Swift McGriff had been an emesis hitter for him and he gets him on a twin killing bases empty with two outs now the David Justice who was grabbed it out to second and walked this is not an unusual performance for the Atlanta Braves and I'll tell you what I mean by that the Braves all season long and a better road record than home record just a couple of games better but in almost every case Larry they would come off of a road trip let's say they went 5 and 2 on a road trip they would come back and lose the first game of the hosting it happened to them over and over and over again to the point where Bobby Cox was was throwing his hands up in the air saying they just can't figure out why we can when that first day we wondered what those guys were doing when they got home dodo the counted justice ground ball right side right at you is it for the Atlanta Braves in the bottom half of the 6th will return with the 1995 division series the Colorado Rockies in the Atlanta Braves after inglese career 2 1 the Mariners lead the Yankees elsewhere the Indians of the Red Sox 3 nothing Charles Nagy has the lead but Mike McFarland out to centerfield Kenny Lofton with a nice catch slips the runs gonna score anyway Jefferson trots in that was with the bases loaded they get out of the inning though with just one run 3-1 in the six feet learn ok thank you John Randy Johnson pitching three days rest after winning that game that got the Mariners into postseason play on Monday the 2 1 pitch to Walt Weiss is striking the outside again dear wife and singled and grounded out to second five three Rockies leading at top half of the inning seven [Applause] launce delivers and that's all for walleyes [Applause] bring out bill Swift and now it's time for tonight's Toyota Diamond Dust Baseball fact Don Mattingly made his postseason debut after 1785 regular season games our question which Hall of Famer made his playoff debut with the A's in 1975 after 2368 regular season games by the answer for the next you know that my budget I can always tell it you had that confident look on your face it start whistling Swift is struck out and popped out [Applause] right and that'll bring up Eric Young we were back in the third inning with a runner aboard an account of one ball two strikes facing John Smoltz launched this just a home run over the left field fence just enough both of them just barely made it but both came on hanging breaking ball and also walked and scored in the first they say that a danger will travel farther than any other pitch and I'm not sure that's true I think it will travel far more often one ball no strikes two outs the top of the seventh [Applause] who throws sidearm all the time didn't used to used to throw overhand when he was in high school he was having great success and every once in a while when he got two strikes and a hit here he would drop down and throw a sidearm continue to do that in college and his coach suggested life to throw that way all the time some of your best pitches are made when you throw that way they became a full-time a sidearm picture the ball will move a little differently but I think more than anything what it does to a hitter is it forces him to look in a different area for the release point we're used to seeing the ball released a lot higher from the ground then you will see it from clumps or any other sidearm the submarine type pitcher and it's just a little different perspective off the end of the bat one and two unlike a lot of sine armors like Dan Quisenberry and Kenta Kobe who threw that sinkers else has pretty good velocity on his fastball Ambrose a breaking ball that actually at times I think it's breaking up on a hitter yeah they should it's like a softball pitchers breaking pitch here's the one to better tap right back to the pitcher seventh-inning stretch here in Atlanta with Iraqis leading the Braves debris he's lead at five to three this week ABC's NFL Monday Night Football travels to Arrowhead Stadium for a key AFC West matchup the San Diego Chargers take on Steve Bowen to Kansas City Chiefs that's Monday at 9:00 Eastern 6:00 Pacific here on ABC Sports [Applause] fresco leading off the bottom of a seven [Applause] he has struck out he has doubled his doubled over [Applause] mm off-speed pitches he hit him both hard he hit him both foul it's 80 pitches now for billy swift tonight my second hit of the night it's leave on fan on in the bottom half of the seventh inning karate is boat then a Steve read up that little sign the tip of the cat means he's ready [Applause] batter will be Bobby Lopez [Applause] to third in the second inning singled in two runs in the border an advanced request though reminded me of something Dave Roberts once said about the Billy Williams great Slugger of the Chicago Cubs and the Robert said well it's I get Williams out easy we're still them to change ups inside he hit some 800 feet foul and they got four shots of the outside corner this looks like it's going to be the end of the night for Bill Swift Don Baylor has come out to plate umpire Eric Gregg and will probably get a double switch here else left will be leaving this one after working six innings facing one man in the seventh but he gave Don Baylor exactly what he wanted he's got on the lead in the bottom half of the seventh inning Jason Bates also checking in we'll be right back bad shoulder the entire second half a year I'm impressed with anyone that pitches at this level with a torn labrum and pitched well with six innings allowed seven hits three runs the runner at first his responsibility he walked two and he struck out three the new pitcher is Steve Reed maybe batting in the leadoff spot Jason Bates has also checked into the game at second base [Applause] great ability News Alert appearance of the series and of course he's a submarine style pitcher tooth but now we've got the fonts and read two guys in the same game throwing submarine style surprised at the double switch because we're only gaining one spot in the batting order but you're using one of your players off the bench and of course he doesn't have so many players off the bench he's got more pitchers than he does players gather aki is carrying a 12 man pitching staff on their 25 man playoff roster here watching Game one caught up with the picture as a pinch-hitter at the end of the game there's Lopez one for two [Applause] I have three Rockies seventh-inning the numbers on Steve played during the year that season good strikeout to walk ratio vote those had a base hit all been leaving off the 6th in Game two of this series [Applause] here's the old one on the way and it's high on outside one ball one strike something's going on somewhere else to tell you about it here's John Saunders now there's plenty going on the Indians in the Red Sox in the sixth inning Paul Sorrento at the plate Eddie Murray is on Wakefield's knuckleball doesn't for them that's a single Murray comes in to make it four to one sandy Alomar later double to score Ramirez to make it a 5-1 game that's where it stands in the sixth Yankees in the Mariner Steve Howe comes on to face Tino Martinez with the bases loaded and he brings in Vince Coleman with a little single here it only scores the one run but then Jay Buhner comes up with the bases full and he knocks in another to make it 4-2 one a Davis error has allowed another Seattle one to score to make it a 5 to 1 game right now Seattle is rolling in the six inning with a 5 to 1 lead back to you ok Thank You Don Mariners trying to extend that series to a fourth game it looks like the Cleveland Indians are almost through the first hurdle Larry of course everyone will remind them of 1954 when they had that fabulous year under net 11 wins during the regular season hundred 11 wins and until they played the Giants in the World Series a lot of people were putting them in a class with the 27 Yankees and and other teams that have been mentioned as the greatest teams of all time that is all for Lopez is out there on strikes one down but the 27 Yankees swept the World Series and the 54 Indians were swept in the World Series here's that breaking ball Lopez chases it and that was the Dusty Rhodes World Series the Willie Mays catch right not for big words one man out fresco still a runner at first and now of Wafi they'll yard do up like spent this grabbed a bat this day thirty years ago was a quite a day in World Series history 20 year-old right-handed by the name of Jim it's the shutout for the Orioles and beat Sandy Koufax 2 to nothing it was the last game Koufax ever pitch remember how shocking news that was when sandy koufax announced his retirement at such a young age now with the announcement of the lefthand pinch hitter blight Smith here comes Don Baylor out of the Rockies dugout again and he is going to make the change here going to left-hander Mike Munoz so Munoz will come on to face either Dwight Smith or a pinch-hitter for him as the Rockies go to their third pitcher [Applause] the Steve Reed works after working just one third of an inning and striking out Javy Lopez and like muñoz makes his way in from a Colorado Rockies both animal he gets ready let's catch you up to date with our toyota diamond dust baseball plays the question was which hall-of-famer made his playoff debut with the A's in 1975 after 2368 regular-season games it's a name newer doesn't talking about a couple of moments ago Larry Butler Alabama the Whistler Billy Williams all those years with a Chicago Cubs and finally made it into postseason play as an Oakland A's [Applause] I'm along stretch of games for that man as well before getting a taste of home season action some guys seem to play on a lot of championships teams rafael belliard for example being pinch-hit for here and then it looks like they're gonna burn wide Smythe's Mike Mordecai has come out on deck now and of course he would be the logical replacement at shortstop because some guys will play a long time and have distinguished career as and never get into postseason the managerial wheels are turning here with the left-hander Mike Munoz coming on Mike Mordecai was the hitting hero in Game two in Denver we'll come on to pinch-hit for Dwight Smith so Don Baylor has accomplished something here he's made Bobby Cox burn a couple of players to make one move and Mordecai no doubt will stay in the game to play a short as Blauser has already out of the game though yard replaced him munos does not have particularly good numbers but he will pitch him pretty well toward the end of the year and a Don Baylor has never afraid to switch pitchers from trying to get that matchup left against left gonna have to go with left against right but he has taken a more dangerous pinch hitter out of the game and Smith and then brought a younger more an experienced hitter into the game in Mordecai but Mordecai had a big hit in Game two it gave the Braves a lead they would this is the winning hip Darrin horns up the middle but the Braves ahead in the ninth inning five to four day later scored two more in that inning on the throne in 74 they've got two games up in the series Mordecai during the regular season two eighty and three homers 11 RBIs he is a good fastball hitter makes a strike to the outside corner whether you talk about guys going to postseason you'll have players like Mordecai or Chipper Jones who are rookies and they go in their very first year and they naturally assume this is something that you do quite often sometimes it's the only time you do it you're up a year Mike Devereaux has moved on to the on-deck circle pick your spot due up next [Applause] by Anthony we're in the bottom of the seventh one man out and let's go to run our first the left-center Theo headed extra bases heading for third Ryan Klesko got away home here comes the relay throw home it's up the line Mike Mordecai strikes again five to four Colorado and maybe the Braves have their own version of Dusty Rhodes in this series but they calling him Mike mortify in Colorado that was a breaking ball [Applause] he heard you talking about what a good fastball hitter he was that'll show me well Don Baylor is on the move again now toward the mound after the run scoring pinch-hit double by Mordecai we'll be charged to Bill Swift so his line six innings seven hits for rock Romeo's exits the game after facing just one hit here so the Braves are going to be bringing their fourth hitter of the inning up and the fourth pitcher of the inning will work for Colorado curtis leskanic coming on to face Mike Devereaux Rocky's holding on to a five-to-four lead with Mike Mordecai at second one man out of me bottom half of the seventh inning tomorrow night on ABC Sports will continue our postseason coverage of the major league baseball divisional playoffs join us for regional action tomorrow at an earlier start time 7:00 Eastern 4:00 Pacific here on ABC Sports and if the Rockies hold on and send this to a fourth game the pitching matchup in that fourth game would be Greg Maddux for Atlanta Bret Saberhagen for the Colorado Rockies I think a good argument Larry and we've heard this from a lot of the participants in this first year of the best-of-five division series say it would be a better deal for everybody if it was a seven-game series and I think what you just saw there Bret Saberhagen one of the top pitchers in the Rockies staff if the Braves come back in win this game he'll have had an entire series played first round playoff series without one of the Rockies best pitchers even getting in a game that is a pretty good argument extending best of seven there's Deveraux taking a strike to the outside corner there are all fans of conceivable setups once of baseball expands to st. Petersburg in Phoenix but the one might be for the regular season to be somewhat shorter to enable a seven-game playoff in the first round glass ganic delivers and misses outside curtis leskanic one of the very active and busy relief pitchers on this Colorado staff pitching in his third game he was the losing pitcher in Game one [Applause] because those folks like stuff riding fastball and a hard sharp breaking fits that got the a sizable break to pitched in 76 games during the regular season banged by the price found a fair so hero one moment and a goat the Nexen bad baserunning for night Mordecai at the left side two down [Applause] that's a play after the runner at second Larry you've got absolutely 100% sure you can make or you see baserunners trying to advance on a ground ball to short and that is because they find that that the short stamp the stop has to move laterally he generally doesn't try for the tag play but he did not have to move laterally Bowen it was hit with some pace it was an easy play a guy cut down at third Hitler oh the runner at first with two outs now marquise grissom the batteries two for three pair of singles and he is 6 for 14 now in the series thanks a Pokeball Gregg the Pikeville the right-handed Pedro Borbon the lefty in the Atlanta bullpen the one one file I gotta play the Iraqis would start with kingery I don't know if it would be the left-hander Borbon to come in and face him with the possibility of Ellis Burks coming up to pinch-hit and whether he will Bobby Cox will go with McMichael again that has generally been more reliable [Applause] two strikes on listen two outs bottom of the seventh rockies 82 now five to four and the first again Brazil Mexico I should say Devereaux backseat it's generally a base-stealing situation with two outs in the inning but the count does not favor a base dealer for one and two now the 1/2 on the way was pop foul again by Grissom out of play still a ball and two strikes [Applause] so checking with Jimmy Williams to see if he'll have a green light here more activity in the Colorado bullpen Bruce Ruffin is up again [Applause] avalanche may be interested in mr. jarate as a goaltender I am Bruce Ruffin tuning it up now for Don Baylor peppero has had as many as 22 steals in a year at aid this year he's not a primary base dealer you don't pay attention to him he'll go doesn't matter marquise grissom down on strikes and misconduct gets out of the inning preserving the Colorado Rockies lead it's now five to four five for Colorado we go to the top half of the eighth-inning Atlanta goes to their third pitcher of the night left-hander Pedro Borbon appeared in 41 games during the regular season record of 2 & 2 we are a 3.09 he's the son of former Cincinnati Pedro Borbon and left hand hitters hit just 167 against Borbon this year he was primarily as a guy to come in and get lefties out qinger he is batting for himself here volunteered account Mike Mordecai is staying in the game at shortstop after delivering the inch at double [Applause] [Music] [Applause] I can still in Rio for two tonight the poor bone with a trail of long-armed whoops style coming down around sidearm weather we're very disconcerting to a left-handed batter [Applause] Pingree has given away the Berks an everyday lineup so he hadn't been looking at too many left-handed pitchers lately anyway but Berks apparently does have a sore shoulder that prevents him from even pinch-hitting as otherwise they probably would have sent him up and Kingery goes down now Dante Bichette two more hits tonight he's two for three and now 7 for 11 in the series pair of singles tonight [Applause] girl Borbon has a picture that he carries with him back during the days of the Big Red Machine it was taken on one of those kids day games in the dugout and it's Pedro Borbon ken griffey jr. playing in postseason this year is Seattle Eduardo Perez who almost got there with junior also played professionally all four of them is 12 year olds [Applause] Leo - I know a one ball two strikes when the Big Red Machine had those father-and-son games they had to play hard to win us they did and some talent out there here's the one two in the way this is outside batters against Pedro Borbon this year batting 278 more than a hundred points higher than the lefties that hit him if ever release point he's got does not bother a right-handed batter at all here's the 2 to foul back still 2 & 2 and Bichette 5-4 rockies in the top half of the eighth and we're gonna take a look at that arm action you can see the arm is fully extended and out to the side here's the to to take an eye on the count full now three into if you're a left-handed batter it looks like he's throwing that pitch from behind you [Applause] those numbers against lefties and righties and the 3-2 pitch on the way to Bichette file [Applause] batter waits on deck [Applause] Borbon records his second strikeout two down in the there's the high hard one made his daddy proud Larry Walker will be the batter red still holding on to a 3-1 lead over the Dodgers a 10 in the bottom of the sixth as the Reds trying to sweep Mariners try to stay alive coming to a game for toward shortened by Mordecai in the left-field base hit for Walker his first hit of the game he's now 1 for 3 [Applause] and that'll bring up Andres Galarraga Cleveland's just about got their first round of work completed there's the curse of the Bambino continues in effect Red Sox and Cubs fans ought to hold their conventions together Sidney Galarraga Oh for three tonight he has struck out twice and grounded out to short it would make for quite a world series if they ever got there wouldn't it mr. Red Sox have been to the World Series they just have lost it and along Crandon is kind of ironic this is the year that the wild-card situation all kicked in if the old divisions have been in place the Chicago Cubs would have won the National League East this year and put in postseason play mouthing in one Galarraga to get the ridge the Dodgers Rock use of the Braves all would have been in the Western Division trite butter going the pitch is fouled away by Galarraga and Walker will have to return it Walker had 16 steals during the regular season and probably could have had more but when you've got sluggers linked Galarraga and Castilla hitting behind you and I really don't like to take a lot of chances there's not much that man Larry Walker can't do it for average hit for power terrific outfielder great throwing arm good speed [Applause] he's chased back by Borbon [Applause] runner goes again the pitch is a little bit outside throw by Lopez stolen base for Larry Walker down goes to one and two now in Galarraga Bobby Cox he could read his lips there he said wasn't that a strike [Music] [Applause] of all in two strikes in Galarraga [Applause] the one to the first Franco says yes he did strikes out the side with the single by Larry Walker in between we go to the bottom half of the eighth inning Rockies up by one with a three-to-one deficit and just like that mark Lewis with the bases loaded the grand slam makes it a 7 to 1 lead the Reds trying to roll to the sweep over the Dodgers we'll keep you up-to-date they're only in the 6 back to Pete Larry Indians about to wrap things up [Applause] ohayo theme seems to be alive thank you tonight is grounded out to third grounded out to short and struck out - and here the gown where does les canaux - big ass to get holiday bottom half of the seventh inning still with a one-run lead bouncing ball to the right side Jason and that'll bring up Chipper Jones who tonight has flied to left grounded out to second and single in Game one top half of the ninth inning with two outs Chipper Jones homered off curtis leskanic he won't do it again he's going to go to the left-hander Bruce Ruffin so leskanic works in any retires all three hitters he faces striking out one venture to work in the game for the Rockies this is what a lot of teams do against Atlanta they bring in the left-hander even though Chipper Jones is a switch hitter because chippers power much more evident as a left-hand batter this year than it has been as a right-hand hitter he only had three home runs white handed [Applause] the bases empty Chipper Jones will be facing Bruce Ruffin Sunday at 4:00 Eastern 1 Pacific it's a special edition of ABC's Wide World of Sports Shannon Miller and our country's best go head-to-head with the world's top stars of the world gymnastics championships from Japan that's Sunday here on ABC Sports [Applause] sellout crowd here at atlanta-fulton County Stadium tonight a beautiful night it has not been such a good week of weather here in Atlanta the remnants of Hurricane Oakley at this very hard toppling trees about 200,000 homes were without power for a while some still without power as they try to catch up with the weather cleared beautifully for tonight's game the numbers on Bruce Ruffin he was on and off the disabled list this year but when he was off as you could see we did good work though we are n he gets way below innings a little bit while but with a lot of strikeouts he feels hard the reports of 90 miles an hour's get a good hard slider [Applause] so I'd be left them facing Chipper Jones take this to a fourth game only three teams have come back from oh two playoff deficits to win but no team has ever lost the first two games at home and then come back to win a series as the Rockies are trying to do here you have the left-hander roughen against the switch-hitter Jones and that favors the Rockies but even more favorable McGriff is on deck and then justice in the whole pitch to Chipper Jones had a good swing there files it back to Cano and one [Applause] five to four it's nothing into on Chipper Jones [Applause] mr. Dodgers just barely edged out the Rockies in the National League West but the Rockies have acquitted themselves better in the playoff than the Dodgers unless the Dodgers come up with a miraculous finished what did you hear you work in the national a decided what to do here all year long about who ever had to fight the dog was in the first round be careful because that pitching is going to get you in there if everybody was scared to death did I hear it I said it everybody was scared to death to going in there facing Martinez and Valdez and no more look at the reds are about to do sweep it was the one - got him Chipper Jones down on strikes - had gone [Applause] he's 1 for 2 with a walk tonight [Applause] after where Jones couldn't reach it but close enough to the corner where he had to try Julius bases empty here's McGriff a walk a single only grounded into a 60 double play [Applause] he wets is very great one ball one strike mrs. down low where's Rothen he's had a birthday 232 last Wednesday three and one nylon regret they the justice on day inside ground ball to the right side right to hunters ghana rocky he'll take it himself and it's a 1-2-3 inning for the atlanta braves in a bottom of the 8th we go to the 9th colorado rockies still leading by water this copyrighted telecast is presented by the authority of the office of the Commissioner of baseball of may not be reproduced or retransmitted in any form without express written consent from the office of the commissioner and has to go to the ninth inning let's take a look at tonight's MCI proof-positive replay it came back in the 6th inning with the score tied 3-3 Vinny Castilla at the plate 2-run Homer and that's the difference in the ball game right now the Rockies holding on five before new pitcher for Atlanta is Greg McMichael [Applause] down to another to an old account on Castilla [Applause] Michael his second season in the Braves bullpen [Applause] here's the 3l popped him up Morrigan dusting back person coming on its Mordecai Thank You Akash this 1995 Division Series game is brought to you by Burger King where you can get your burgers worth metlife get met it pays and the makers of Advil one man out in the top of the night Joe Girardi the batter - up in the bottom of the night for Atlanta justice Klesko Lopez strike on the outside corner going on Georgio for free he's thrown out two base stealers tonight and the Danforth anything into on Jelani [Applause] McMichael without unusual delivery hides the ball quite well and he's really got good off-speed stuff that miss lone away one ball two strikes it looks like he's jumping at you and so you're ready to pull the trigger but the balls sort of gets out there and stops now the 1 2 pitch on the way boy if Michael reports his first strikeout to down in the top of the 9th and Walt Weiss will be the batter [Applause] mr. off-speed pitch I think it's a circle change that he throws good downward movement two men out wall twice won 4-3 at a single stolove ace came around to score a run back in the third one ball no strikes [Applause] that's wise they can high ball 2 2 & 1 the count [Applause] here's the two on delivery even's the capsule into another changeup we've got enough command of that pitch that he throws it behind in the count and that's when the hitters looking for a fastball most of the time now the to to to yslow it inside full count now 3 & 2 Jason Bates now hitting in the nine hole waits on deck [Music] WAIS down the first of the two out walk jason Batesville it for the first time Bates one for two in this series [Applause] all the runs in this game have been charged to the starters good relief for [Applause] Colorado leading it by one here in the top half of the ninth inning trying to send it to a fourth game tomorrow night [Applause] Dajjal the way debates is strengthened the inside both are nothing wrong [Applause] two men out wall twice the runner at first Ruffins on deck you don't think they'd pinch-hit for him with the justice and Klesko coming up do you that's Bates on deck they got rough [Music] [Applause] I know that's that's why Bates did it huh I do rough enough my mistake the 1/1 flyball we'll hit right field back those justice just shy the jockeys battle and that is all for Colorado in the top half of the ninth inning so Gregg McMichael gets him out but remember the Atlanta Braves have rallied ninth inning twice in this series [Applause] they did it 25 times during regular season and the fans here a sellout crowd of 50 1300 really believe in ninth-inning miracles they go to the bottom half of the ninth inning David Justice Ryan Klesko and Javier do up against Bruce Ruffin [Applause] and now with an update on the rest of tonight's Division Series action once again here's John Saunders all right Pete and Larry as we wait to see if the Braves can pull off the ninth inning heroics again the Yankees in the Mariners and it's falling apart for New York Randy Velarde feeling this fly ball from Tino Martinez Coleman can't score but the throw gets away from everyone so Coleman trots in and right now Seattle in command they'll keep this series alive and looks like seven to two in the eighth inning Indians in the Red Sox Boston will not keep this one alive Carlos by Erika with a double scores a run to make it an 8 to 1 game as Cleveland blows the game wide open as they look for the sweep of the Boston Red Sox during Fenway tonight that game in the eighth inning the Dodgers and the Reds Mark Lewis the grand slam we showed you that what we didn't tell you was it was a pinch-hit Grand Slam and that's the first ever pinch-hit Grand Slam in postseason anuradha Rockies leading it by one trying to send it to a fourth game [Music] justice without the second twice and he has walked [Applause] right a huge step this would be for the Colorado Rockies [Applause] here's the 2 1 delivery he belongs to [Applause] - to pitch for muffin [Applause] the seats do again the 2-2 pitch on the way [Applause] first base side Audra's gonna rock [Applause] the Rockies bullpen tonight now retired around six in a row when Stanek got the final two outs in the seventh the first out in the eighth two outs in the eighth the first out in the ninth and now Ryan Klesko will strike out double and single he drove in a run with his fourth inning double the inside [Applause] but fouled on the count nothing and two ones let's go now the og things on the way ground ball [Applause] [Music] the runner at first [Applause] as heads toward the plate the reaction of temp Turner and Jane Fonda when Ryan klesko's ball gets by the shortstop [Applause] here comes Don Baylor right-handed bats coming up he wants the right-hander Darren Holmes to come in and [Applause] leave after working giving up a lot here and recording one strikeout Darrin Holmes becomes the sixth pitcher the for the Rockies he was on the bound in the ninth-inning on Wednesday night in Game two and he gave up the run scoring single to Mike Mordecai that gave the Braves that win so he was trying to perform a little make good here [Applause] one man I've won that on the new pitcher Darrin Holmes he'll be facing Javy Lopez the executive producer of ABC Sports is Jack O'Hara coordinating producer of the baseball Network John J Filippelli coordinating producer for ABC sports Curt Goudy jr. the vice president of operations for the baseball network Jeff Delaney studio producers Lance Garrett and bill Graff studio director Rick Kiba tonight's game produced by Jim's rake directed by Jim Lynch our associate directors Liu through and our technical director Scott McWade our assistant to the producer of matte lip and the coordinating production manager Russ gabay if we go to a game for in this division series it will be right here on ABC tomorrow night earlier starting time 7 o'clock Eastern 4:00 Pacific and the pitching matchup if we do have a fourth game Greg Maddux again for Atlanta and Bret Saberhagen would work for the Rockies runner at first one man out in the bottom half of the ninth inning you see the numbers on Deron hole the regular season playoff series working all three games now charged with any earned runs he has given up four hits one inning of work the two runs he did allow were both unearned on the Eric Young error Larry Dierker headed down to the field just in case [Applause] he's leading at five before and the Lopez drove him to it was single back in the fourth inning he's also grounded out and struck out beep bad word along with Larry Dierker welcoming into Atlanta for the close of this game those of you who've been watching another game it's five for Rockies a runner at first one out Lopez the batter Darren Holmes the pitcher one on one account they send this to a fourth game Darrin Holmes the sixth picture to work tonight for the Rockies throwing the first question back safely [Applause] here's the one one little doping [Applause] [Music] [Applause] is pesco runners got to the ball that a glove on it but could be quite hang on [Applause] later he did not get much of a pitch to hit here now one even a strike that was a foot outside one off the end of the bat great effort here by Larry Walker but he trapped the ball let's go of the play in front of him there way around a third Mordechai pinch-hit single and pinch-hit double and stayed in the game here [Applause] at five to four when Atlanta has runners at first and third with one out one ball no strikes on Mordecai Oh alms almost bought there [Applause] right through there for a strike released ellonija has moved on the potential tying run [Applause] [Music] [Applause] the g1 [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] here's the 2 2 pitch 2 mortar can and that fills the count 3 & 2 Louis Polonia on deck circle no activity in the rockies bullpen we're in the bottom half of the ninth inning in Atlanta Colorado leading at five to four but Atlanta has runners at first and third one out here's the 3-2 pitch fly ball hit out to shallow left field Bichette coming on makes the catch klesko's coming halfway down going back and that's a big second out poor Darrin Holmes and now Don Baylor is going to come out to the mound not to make a change this but probably to review the scouting report on Luis Polonia we'll come on to pinch-hit for Greg McMichael Polonia coming over from the Yankees hit 264 for Atlanta [Applause] the fly ball hit the shallow left field Bichette making the catch Klesko going about almost halfway down before putting on the brakes and coming back Ted Turner thought it was deep enough not quite two men out here's Polonia runners at first to send this to a fourth game the pitch to colonia nothing at 1:00 Polonia as a pinch-hitter for was 8 for 18 at 4:44 inch in average the O 1 pitch fouled away the count nothing into Billy Swift worked the first six innings in this game left with a five to four lead a gutsy performance by the starting pitcher for the Rockies with an ailing and now if Darren Holmes can get one more out Billy Swift will be the first Colorado pitcher to ever win a postseason game nothing into first and third two outs flyball shallow left field the come alive [Applause] to pin scoring single for Luis Polonia breaking ball Polonia hinted a little bit off the end of the bat just flared it into left field now marquise grissom takes a strike on the inside bottom of the ninth Lopez at second mr. Grissom filed off the count nothing into that was an old to pitch the Pilate in it of evasive [Applause] see the reaction with 2001 a denim he's the first Lopez a potential winning run down at second the marquise grissom ground ball as opposed to second in time for the force but the Atlanta Braves [Applause] have tied this game up extra innings in Atlanta the storyline for the Atlanta Braves this year has been a different hero every night and the latest is Louise Polonia with two outs and a count of nothing into a little flair drops into left field the score Ryan Fusco and tied again and send it now into extra innings [Applause] the newest Atlanta hero now we go to the tenth inning mark Wohlers is on the mound John Vander Waal up to pinch-hit [Applause] Finch hits in this series is over too Waller's recorded saves in each of the first two games in this series the Iraqis have been so close really to sweeping this series when you think about it losing on a ninth inning homer in Game one seeing the Braves rally for four in the ninth inning in Game two and I'm seeing the Braves tie it up in the ninth inning in Game three [Applause] one ball two strikes on Vanderwall [Applause] kingery will follow and Dante Bichette here's the one-two two strikes [Applause] nobody on or out of the top half of the 10th inning in a 5 to 5 ballgame [Applause] [Music] [Applause] and now mike Kingery was over for three tonight Kent Mercker has gotten up in the Atlanta bullpen [Applause] 25 saves he was a month into the season before boys around this ball club 90 strikeouts in 64 in 2008 [Applause] here's the one or a filed off [Applause] [Applause] ran out bases empty [Music] [Applause] and a right-center feel that falls pretty well hit marquise Grissom on the run two men gone a nice running catch by marquise grissom and deep right-center field and the batter now is Dante Bichette who has singled twice and struck out twice he has had the hot bat full Rockies in this series 7 for 12 but has yet to homer or drive in a run and he led the National League in both those categories two outs bases empty here's the pitch to Bichette ground ball that's a fair ball down the left-field line headed toward the corner this shed around first on his way his second Ryan Fusco gets it back for the infield it's a two-out double for Dante Bichette his third hit of the game at number 7 for Colorado Andres Galarraga due up next they may walk not expecting the chef to pull you can see how far off behind Chipper Jones is playing that's it right down the third-base line - at first in a second pitch instead to Uganda [Applause] all three intentionally wide and Andres Galarraga will get a chance to hit with runners first and second and two outs first and second - now here comes [Applause] once again smokes once again Sorbonne [Applause] boys [Applause] [Music] made the trip back up from down on the field did that the hop that wife's fielded look is tough from up here as it did from down there it did Wow it skipped off that side of the mound [Applause] for the temp runners first and second two outs and the O one delivery ground ball deep shortened by Mordecai the lefty here comes Michelle around by Ryan Klesko won't get him and the Colorado Rockies have forged back in front six to five on a two-out runs scoring single by Andres Galarraga [Applause] Larry Walker the Rockies grabbing the lead here on the top of the tent that looked like the split finger pitch that he hit yeah it's her dad and Galarraga turned it over with topspin and and that's what helped get it through there so the Rockies up by a run now and the reaction from the Colorado Rockies dugout they know they could have won the first two games they know they should have won this one a nine now they've got mermaid back in the deck here's Benny Castillo in the dirt could stop by local that was an unbelievable stuff does not make that stop [Applause] he's sitting out sentence that gives him a little head start but still as hard as Waller throws and as far outside as that ball was in his far in front of him as it hit [Applause] one ball no strikes in Castile two I insisted on the right-field that's gonna fall off or a baby's head into score Larry the Rockies now lead at 7 to 5 and all of this happening after two were out of the [Applause] for Vinny Castilla and Bobby Cox on his way to the mile mark letters got the first two outs in the inning then gave up the double of his shet the intentional walk to Larry Walker and then run scoring singles by Andres Galarraga and now Vinny Castilla as will be lifted can't record [Applause] pictures then sent down for both [Music] [Applause] but Vinny Castilla what a night he has had with the score tied three-three back in the sixth inning a two-run homer to give the Rockies the lead which they held until the bottom of the ninth and now a big insurance run driven home by Castilla here and they top half of the tympani [Music] banging breaking ball he the fastball away he stroked to the opposite field seven to five Colorado in the top half of the tent Kent Mercker pitched in 29 games for the Braves in the regular season 26 of them as a starter they had a record of 780 our five final month of the season Mirko did not see much action he had an old muscle his left shoulder [Music] you'll be facing runners at first and second to that out if the Rockies hang on to this lead game for tomorrow night air on ABC 7 o'clock Eastern 4 o'clock Pacific with Bret Saberhagen and Greg Maddux the scheduled pitchers not a bad little matchup pretty good couple of sy Young Award winners those on here Dante Bichette the guy that got rally started with two outs [Music] he now has three hits and five at-bats in this game eight hits in 13 at-bats in this series and Greg Maddux realizing now and he may be out there tomorrow night facing this Rockies team look who disturbed by that thought never next [Applause] fujio's his markers pitch to gherardini Pop's it foul first base side up into the seats due up in the bottom half of the 10th inning for Atlanta Lemke Jones McGriff Bobby Cox said prior to this series that he would use Steve Avery only to start an inning but that he would bring Kent Mercker in to the middle of an inning and that's exactly what he has done in this series that's because marker had previous bullpen experience he came up to the Braves the first couple of years pitched out of the pin one ball one strike [Applause] [Music] [Applause] now the one one Girardi sends a fly ball deep right center field is David Justice and he's got it for out number three but some clutch to out him seven to five laid will return with the division series their walkies in the Braves after this from our ABCs TV threes monday night football frenzy yet scruples we go to the bottom half of the tenth inning Colorado on top seven to five in the seventh pitcher of the night for the right-hander mark Thompson he replaced Marvin Freeman on the 25-man luster Freeman out with an injury and they chose Mark Thompson because of his work over the weekend against the Giants he pitched in three of the four games against San Francisco and relief hitting's spike 1/2 length where you talk about pressure you've got Saberhagen going tomorrow but to get to it this rookie has got to finish the deal they Oh Wanda Lemke bouncing all over the mound down and now Chipper Jones he's wonderful Thompson spent a good part of the year in triple-a with Colorado Springs he was a second round [Applause] he's back in five years old a native of Kentucky The Pajama way to Chipper Jones blown away one ball no strikes one man out bases empty walk Easley to get seven to five bottom half of the 10th inning pitch in for a called strike one ball one strike that's low here's the two one on the way that's pop foul back out of play two and two laughter Billy Swift tonight the Rockies of use was static now Thompson their guns they - 2 pinch ribbon foul that Aleph be alive I'm still tuned too [Applause] the Rockies will not run out of pitch was a very bro and comes the - to the inside three and two on Chipper Jones retina grip on there and the three two on the way to Chipper Jones ground ball right to the first baseman gone around trying to Thompson covering two down he's made one more album to extend this series to the fourth [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] with two outs line drive right centerfield coming on as the right fielder Larry Walker anakata walkies have stored their first-ever playoff victory after losing to to the Braves in Denver the Rockies come to Atlanta in 10 by a final score of 7 to 5 the Atlanta Braves now lead this series 2 games to 1 Rockies winning it 7 to 5 tonight's Chevrolet player of the game is Andres Galarraga his run-scoring single in the 10th inning broke the 5 to 5 tie and turned out to be the game-winning hit in conjunction with this program Chevrolet will contribute a total of $50,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the names of all players of the game for the 1995 major league season we are going to have game 4 in this series it'll be coming your way tomorrow night from here at atlanta-fulton County Stadium and earlier starting time 7:00 Eastern 4:00 Pacific Bret Saberhagen will be on the mound for the Colorado Rockies and Greg Maddux will make his second start of this series for the Atlanta Braves as tomorrow night at 7 Game four of this series with the Braves now leading it into two games to one for Larry Dierker and our entire crew beat bad word from Atlanta [Music] you

Channel: Quarantined Classics

Views: 3,746

Rating: 4.9166665 out of 5

Keywords: mlb, baseball, mlb baseball, atlanta braves, colorado rockies, 1995 atlanta braves, 1995 colorado rockies, rockies first postseason win, 1995 nlds, 1995 nlds game three, dante bichette, larry walker, vinny castilla, don baylor, bobby cox

Id: hJSNVicMA5o

Length: 156min 55sec (9415 seconds)

Published: Mon Mar 30 2020