GAME 1 - Fulton County Stadium
Bob Veale vs John Smoltz
Braves 6, Pirates 5 (10 inn)
Things couldn't have looked brighter for the visiting Bucs who brought a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the 8th inning. After going 6 innings, Bob Veale ran out of gas. Atlanta's lineup forced the hard throwing southpaw to expend a lot of energy. After throwing 125 pitches in just 6 innings Veale handed the ball over to Roy Face, who has had his challenges this season. Today would be no different. Atlanta would touch him up for 2 runs in the 8th to make it a tense 1 run game. After walking the lead off batter (McGriff), Face nearly served up a homer to Jeff Blauser. He would not be so lucky with the next batter, Damon Berryhill, who launched a 2 run shot. Still, the Bucs carried a 1 run lead into the bottom of the 9th. Normally reliable closer Pete Mikkelsen was brought on to close the game out for the Pirates. On a one hop comebacker to the mound Mikkelsen slipped and had to eat the ball. He recovered to strike out David Justice, who was immediately presented with the non-coveted "Golden Sombrero" for fanning 4 times on the day. Ron Gant singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd, but when the "Crime Dog", Fred McGriff went down looking the Braves were down to their last out. Mikkelson tried to nibble at the corners and wound up walking Blauser to load the bases. Up stepped Berryhill who grounded to Gene Alley at short, who saw the ball "clank" off his glove for a costly error that tied the game up at 5
apiece. By this point the tomahawk chop was out in full force and the un-nerving hum of the Florida State chant began to engulf Fulton County Stadium. Mikkelson, to his credit, struck out Mark Lemke to end the inning, but the momentum was clearly on the side of the Braves who rallied successful back from a 3-0 deficit. Pittsburgh went down in order in the top of the 10th thanks to some fine pitching by "Bedrock". Mikkelson started the bottom of the 10th and walked pinch hitter Deion Sanders. The Florida State "hum" and the tomahawk chop began once again. Deion easily stole second and then came around to score the winning run on a Otis Nixon "bleeder" through the three / four hole. Lost in the mix was the outstanding 5 RBI / 2 homer performance by Pirate second baseman Bill Mazeroski. "Maz", who comes up big in big moments hit a 3 run shot in the first and a 2 run blast in the 6th, which all but put the game away for the Bucs, until Atlanta turned up the heat which caused Pittsburgh to melt.
Braves lead series 1-0
Bob Veale vs John Smoltz
Braves 6, Pirates 5 (10 inn)
Things couldn't have looked brighter for the visiting Bucs who brought a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the 8th inning. After going 6 innings, Bob Veale ran out of gas. Atlanta's lineup forced the hard throwing southpaw to expend a lot of energy. After throwing 125 pitches in just 6 innings Veale handed the ball over to Roy Face, who has had his challenges this season. Today would be no different. Atlanta would touch him up for 2 runs in the 8th to make it a tense 1 run game. After walking the lead off batter (McGriff), Face nearly served up a homer to Jeff Blauser. He would not be so lucky with the next batter, Damon Berryhill, who launched a 2 run shot. Still, the Bucs carried a 1 run lead into the bottom of the 9th. Normally reliable closer Pete Mikkelsen was brought on to close the game out for the Pirates. On a one hop comebacker to the mound Mikkelsen slipped and had to eat the ball. He recovered to strike out David Justice, who was immediately presented with the non-coveted "Golden Sombrero" for fanning 4 times on the day. Ron Gant singled to put runners on 1st and 2nd, but when the "Crime Dog", Fred McGriff went down looking the Braves were down to their last out. Mikkelson tried to nibble at the corners and wound up walking Blauser to load the bases. Up stepped Berryhill who grounded to Gene Alley at short, who saw the ball "clank" off his glove for a costly error that tied the game up at 5 apiece. By this point the tomahawk chop was out in full force and the un-nerving hum of the Florida State chant began to engulf Fulton County Stadium. Mikkelson, to his credit, struck out Mark Lemke to end the inning, but the momentum was clearly on the side of the Braves who rallied successful back from a 3-0 deficit. Pittsburgh went down in order in the top of the 10th thanks to some fine pitching by "Bedrock". Mikkelson started the bottom of the 10th and walked pinch hitter Deion Sanders. The Florida State "hum" and the tomahawk chop began once again. Deion easily stole second and then came around to score the winning run on a Otis Nixon "bleeder" through the three / four hole. Lost in the mix was the outstanding 5 RBI / 2 homer performance by Pirate second baseman Bill Mazeroski. "Maz", who comes up big in big moments hit a 3 run shot in the first and a 2 run blast in the 6th, which all but put the game away for the Bucs, until Atlanta turned up the heat which caused Pittsburgh to melt.Braves lead series 1-0
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