1998 National League Championship Series
Encyclopedia
Game 1
Wednesday, October 7, 1998 at Turner FieldTurner Field
Turner Field is a stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, home to Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves since 1997. Turner Field was originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium, it was completed in 1996 to serve as the centerpiece of the 1996 Summer Olympics...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
With John Smoltz
John Smoltz
John Andrew Smoltz is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and active sportscaster. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, in which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996...
on the mound, the Braves were staked out to a 1–0 lead when Andruw Jones
Andruw Jones
Andruw Rudolf Jones is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is a free agent.Jones made his debut during the 1996 season. In the 1996 World Series, Jones became the youngest player to ever homered in the postseason...
hit a solo home run to lead off the third inning off Andy Ashby
Andy Ashby
Andrew Jason Ashby is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Colorado Rockies , San Diego Padres , Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers...
. The Padres tied the game in the fifth when Tony Gwynn
Tony Gwynn
Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. , nicknamed Mr. Padre and Captain Video, is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the San Diego Padres...
, appearing in his first NLCS since 1984, hit an RBI single. An error by first baseman Andrés Galarraga
Andrés Galarraga
Andrés José Padovani Galarraga is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the Montreal Expos , St. Louis Cardinals , Colorado Rockies , Atlanta Braves , Texas Rangers , San Francisco Giants and Anaheim Angels...
helped San Diego take a 2–1 lead in the eighth. In the bottom half of the inning, closer Trevor Hoffman
Trevor Hoffman
Trevor William Hoffman is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During his 18-year career from 1993 to 2010, he pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, and the Milwaukee Brewers, spending years of his career with the Padres. A long-time closer, he is the Major...
came into the game early to end a Braves' scoring threat. However, in the ninth, the Braves got the tying run off him when Ryan Klesko
Ryan Klesko
Ryan Anthony Klesko , is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and corner outfielder, who played for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and the San Francisco Giants...
scored on a sacrifice fly. In the tenth, Ken Caminiti
Ken Caminiti
Kenneth Gene Caminiti was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball and the 1996 National League Most Valuable Player. He was born in Hanford, California, and attended San Jose State University...
belted a home run off reliever Kerry Ligtenberg
Kerry Ligtenberg
Kerry Dale Ligtenberg is a former Major League Baseball pitcher.After attending the University of Minnesota in 1994, Ligtenberg signed with the Minneapolis Loons of the independent North Central League. He made 19 starts with them , allowing 103 hits and 44 walks for an ERA of 3.31. He struck out 94...
to give San Diego their winning margin. The Braves put two men on the bottom of the inning, but Galarraga flew out to end the game.
Game 2
Thursday, October 8, 1998 at Turner FieldTurner Field
Turner Field is a stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, home to Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves since 1997. Turner Field was originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium, it was completed in 1996 to serve as the centerpiece of the 1996 Summer Olympics...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
After the tightly-contested Game 1, Kevin Brown, who was developing a reputation as a "Brave killer," absolutely shut down the Atlanta offense, pitching a three-hit shutout with eleven strikeouts. Tom Glavine
Tom Glavine
Thomas Michael Glavine is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher.With 164 victories during the 1990s, Glavine was the second winningest pitcher in the National League, second only to teammate Greg Maddux's 176...
matched Brown until the sixth, when Quilvio Veras
Quilvio Veras
Quilvio Alberto Veras Perez is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He is currently a roving coach for the Kansas City Royals....
brought in a run with a single. San Diego added two insurance runs in the ninth before Brown remained in the game to pitch a perfect ninth and put the Braves down two games to none.
Game 3
Saturday, October 10, 1998 at Qualcomm StadiumQualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
The Braves offense was held quiet again and San Diego went up three games to none. This was the only game that was won by the home team in this series, with the road teams going 5–1. Atlanta sent Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...
to the hill and he led 1–0 after four innings, but the Padres tagged him for two runs in the fifth with Steve Finley
Steve Finley
Steven Allen Finley is a former Major League Baseball outfielder.-Early life:Finley, who grew up in Paducah, Kentucky, attended Paducah Tilghman High School and Southern Illinois University, where he earned a degree in physiology and played for the baseball team from 1984–87.-College, Team USA,...
and Ken Caminiti
Ken Caminiti
Kenneth Gene Caminiti was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball and the 1996 National League Most Valuable Player. He was born in Hanford, California, and attended San Jose State University...
driving in runs. The Braves loaded the bases in the sixth with only one out, but Donne Wall
Donne Wall
Donnell Lee Wall , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues primarily in relief from 1995-2002....
struck out Michael Tucker and Greg Colbrunn
Greg Colbrunn
Gregory Joseph Colbrunn was a Major League Baseball player for 13 seasons.Colbrunn was part of the victorious Arizona Diamondbacks 2001 World Series winning team....
to end the threat. An error by Ryan Klesko
Ryan Klesko
Ryan Anthony Klesko , is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and corner outfielder, who played for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and the San Francisco Giants...
and a passed ball on Javy López
Javy López
Javier López Torres is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
helped the Padres add two runs in the eighth. Trevor Hoffman
Trevor Hoffman
Trevor William Hoffman is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During his 18-year career from 1993 to 2010, he pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, and the Milwaukee Brewers, spending years of his career with the Padres. A long-time closer, he is the Major...
struck out the side in the ninth and San Diego took Game 3 by a score of 4–1. Starter Sterling Hitchcock
Sterling Hitchcock
Sterling Alex Hitchcock is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played from to , mostly with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres....
got the win with five innings pitched and one run allowed. Atlanta now appeared to be in an insurmountable hole—no team had ever come back from a three games to none deficit in baseball history.
Game 4
Sunday, October 11, 1998 at Qualcomm StadiumQualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
San Diego was looking for a sweep and they took the first step by taking a 2–0 lead in the third. The Braves tied it in sixth on a Ryan Klesko
Ryan Klesko
Ryan Anthony Klesko , is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and corner outfielder, who played for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and the San Francisco Giants...
RBI single, but San Diego retook the lead in the bottom of the inning when Jim Leyritz
Jim Leyritz
James Joseph Leyritz is a former catcher and infielder in Major League Baseball.-Early years:Leyritz attended Turpin High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, Middle Georgia Jr...
, two years removed from his crucial home run against the Braves in the 1996 World Series
1996 World Series
-Game 1:Sunday, October 20, 1996 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkGame 1 and Game 2 were originally scheduled for Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20, respectively. Rain on October 19, however, washed out Game 1. The schedule was moved up one day, with Game 1 and Game 2 rescheduled for...
, hit a solo shot off Denny Neagle
Denny Neagle
Dennis Edward Neagle Jr. is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was last under contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays during the season, but he did not play due to injury...
. The Braves would refuse to go quietly, exploding for six runs in the seventh inning. Javy López
Javy López
Javier López Torres is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
led off with a home run, followed by an Andruw Jones
Andruw Jones
Andruw Rudolf Jones is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is a free agent.Jones made his debut during the 1996 season. In the 1996 World Series, Jones became the youngest player to ever homered in the postseason...
single that ended the night for Padres starter Joey Hamilton
Joey Hamilton
Johns Joseph "Joey" Hamilton is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played professionally for nine seasons, recording a 74–73 win–loss record, a 4.44 earned run average and 894 strikeouts. He attended Statesboro High School in Georgia...
. Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
brought the go-ahead run home with a single before Andrés Galarraga
Andrés Galarraga
Andrés José Padovani Galarraga is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the Montreal Expos , St. Louis Cardinals , Colorado Rockies , Atlanta Braves , Texas Rangers , San Francisco Giants and Anaheim Angels...
launched a grand slam that left Atlanta ahead 8–3. The Braves, who used six pitchers in the win, avoided the sweep.
Game 5
Monday, October 12, 1998 at Qualcomm StadiumQualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
in San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
After Atlanta's offensive outburst in Game 4 to stay alive, the Padres hoped to close out the Braves in front of their home fans in Game 5. They sent Andy Ashby
Andy Ashby
Andrew Jason Ashby is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Colorado Rockies , San Diego Padres , Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers...
to the hill against Atlanta starter John Smoltz
John Smoltz
John Andrew Smoltz is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and active sportscaster. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, in which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996...
. Ken Caminiti
Ken Caminiti
Kenneth Gene Caminiti was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball and the 1996 National League Most Valuable Player. He was born in Hanford, California, and attended San Jose State University...
got things started with a two-run shot off Smoltz to give San Diego the early lead. Andruw Jones
Andruw Jones
Andruw Rudolf Jones is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is a free agent.Jones made his debut during the 1996 season. In the 1996 World Series, Jones became the youngest player to ever homered in the postseason...
, who was caught stealing home in the fourth, stole second base in the fifth with two outs, allowing himself to score on a Michael Tucker single to tie the game 2–2. However, John Vander Wal
John Vander Wal
John Henry Vander Wal is a former American Major League Baseball left-handed hitter who played outfield and first base for eight different teams over 14 seasons.-Early life:...
, who had five home runs all year, hit a two-run homer off Smoltz that put San Diego back on top 4–2. After a single by Ozzie Guillén
Ozzie Guillén
Oswaldo José "Ozzie" Guillén Barrios is a Venezuelan-American former Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Miami Marlins. He managed the Chicago White Sox from 2004 to 2011 before asking for his release at the end of the 2011 season....
to start the seventh, manager Bruce Bochy
Bruce Bochy
Bruce Douglas Bochy is the manager of the San Francisco Giants. Prior to joining the Giants, Bochy had been the manager of the San Diego Padres for twelve seasons. Bochy is the only former Padres player to serve as the team's manager. He has participated in all five postseason appearances in...
brought starter Kevin Brown into the game. Brown retired the first three Braves he faced. The Padres threatened in the bottom of the seventh, but John Rocker
John Rocker
John Loy Rocker is a retired American Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for the Atlanta Braves, the Cleveland Indians, the Texas Rangers, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as well as the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball...
came in for Smoltz and retired Tony Gwynn
Tony Gwynn
Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. , nicknamed Mr. Padre and Captain Video, is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the San Diego Padres...
. Still holding a 4–2 lead, Brown was set to pitch the eighth for San Diego. He allowed the first two batters to reach but got Andruw Jones to pop out, bringing the Padres five outs away from a championship. Then Michael Tucker got a hold of a Brown fastball and launched a flyball to deep right center field that left the park and put Atlanta ahead 5–4. Bochy got Brown out of the game, replacing him with Donne Wall
Donne Wall
Donnell Lee Wall , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues primarily in relief from 1995-2002....
, but Tony Graffanino
Tony Graffanino
Anthony Joseph Graffanino is a former American Major League Baseball second baseman, third baseman, and shortstop. Though he never officially retired, Graffanino has not played since .-Career:...
doubled, scoring another run, then crossed home himself when Chris Gomez
Chris Gomez
Christopher Cory Gomez is a former Major League Baseball infielder. He bats and throws right-handed.-College career:...
committed an error. Behind 7–4 and stunned, the Padres attempted to rally in the ninth. Greg Myers belted a pinch-hit two-run homer with no one out to make it 7–6, prompting Bobby Cox
Bobby Cox
Robert Joseph "Bobby" Cox is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. He first led the Atlanta Braves from 1978 to 1981, and then managed the Toronto Blue Jays from 1982 to 1985. He later rejoined the Braves in 1985 as a general manager...
to bring in Greg Maddux
Greg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...
in relief. Maddux retired the side, with nemesis Tony Gwynn
Tony Gwynn
Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. , nicknamed Mr. Padre and Captain Video, is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the San Diego Padres...
grounding out to finish the game, and earned his first ever career save. The save would be the only save in Maddux's career. This wild game cut San Diego's series lead to one game, and with the series returning to Atlanta with Tom Glavine
Tom Glavine
Thomas Michael Glavine is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher.With 164 victories during the 1990s, Glavine was the second winningest pitcher in the National League, second only to teammate Greg Maddux's 176...
set to pitch, many believed that the Braves had a serious chance of coming back. This Braves win marked the first time in baseball history that a team had come back from a three games to none (in a best of seven series) deficit to reach a Game 6.
Game 6
Wednesday, October 14, 1998 at Turner FieldTurner Field
Turner Field is a stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, home to Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves since 1997. Turner Field was originally built as Centennial Olympic Stadium, it was completed in 1996 to serve as the centerpiece of the 1996 Summer Olympics...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
After Kevin Brown's disastrous outing in Game 5, he was unable to come back for Game 6, forcing the Padres to instead start Sterling Hitchcock
Sterling Hitchcock
Sterling Alex Hitchcock is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played from to , mostly with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres....
. The Braves had become the first team to force a Game 6 after dropping the first three games, but any dreams of a historic comeback were to be crushed. Hitchcock pitched five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. Glavine looked good but ran into trouble in the sixth. Jim Leyritz
Jim Leyritz
James Joseph Leyritz is a former catcher and infielder in Major League Baseball.-Early years:Leyritz attended Turpin High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, Middle Georgia Jr...
had an RBI groundout that scored the first run before Wally Joyner
Wally Joyner
Wallace Keith "Wally" Joyner is a former first baseman and hitting coach in Major League Baseball. He played for four major league teams during a 16-year career, most notably for the California Angels, for whom he was an All-Star...
added a single that made it 2–0. Sterling Hitchcock
Sterling Hitchcock
Sterling Alex Hitchcock is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played from to , mostly with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres....
reached on a costly error by left fielder Danny Bautista
Danny Bautista
Daniel Bautista Alcántara is a former MLB baseball outfielder. He is more commonly known as Danny Bautista....
that opened the floodgates. Glavine left the game and John Rocker
John Rocker
John Loy Rocker is a retired American Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for the Atlanta Braves, the Cleveland Indians, the Texas Rangers, and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as well as the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball...
promptly gave up RBI singles to Quilvio Veras
Quilvio Veras
Quilvio Alberto Veras Perez is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He is currently a roving coach for the Kansas City Royals....
and Tony Gwynn
Tony Gwynn
Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. , nicknamed Mr. Padre and Captain Video, is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the San Diego Padres...
. The unearned runs made it 5–0 and the San Diego bullpen would pitch a hitless final four innings. The Braves only managed two hits the entire game. Hitchcock, who won two games, was named the series MVP.
Composite box
1998 NLCS (4–2): San Diego PadresSan Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
over Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....