October 19th, 1999
National League Championship Series,
Game 6
New York Mets at Atlanta Braves
Turner Field, Atlanta
The
Atlanta Braves had pretty much dominated the National League for the entire
1990s. After finishing in last place in their division in 1990, the Braves
became a perennial contender in 1991 and won eight consecutive division titles
to finish off the decade (1994 was the strike-shortened season and therefore
there were no division winners). They had also made it to the NLCS eight
straight years and had advanced to the World Series four times.
But
despite the dominance of the NL, they had only won World Series (1995), having
lost in 1991 to Minnesota, 1992 to Toronto and 1996 to the Yankees. But it
would be another New York team, the Mets, who the Braves would have to beat to
get to the final World Series of the century.
And
at the onset, it looked like it would be a breeze. The Braves took the first
two games at Turner Field by scores of 4-2 and 4-3, then took Game 3 at Shea
Stadium, 1-0. It looked like the Braves would sweep the Mets right out of the
NLCS. But New York battled back and took Game 4 by a score of 3-2, then won a
dramatic 15-inning affair in Game 5 to send the series back to Atlanta.
In
a crucial Game 6 showdown, Al Leiter would get the start for the Mets and would
be opposed by Atlanta’s Kevin Millwood. In order to stop talk of being the first
team to surrender a three games to none lead, Atlanta hoped they could end it
before a seventh game.
And
it looked like they were going to put it away early, knocking Leiter out of the
game before he could even get an out. A hit batter, a walk, a double steal and
an error gave Atlanta a 1-0 lead. After Braves’ third baseman Chipper Jones was
hit by a pitch, outfielder Brian Jordan singled in the second run. After a
fielder’s choice loaded the bases (no out recorded), catcher Eddie Perez
singled in two more runs. With Leiter removed from the game, Brian Hunter’s
sacrifice fly gave the Braves a 5-0 lead after one inning.
The
Mets were unable to get anything going off of Millwood until the sixth inning.
With the score still 5-0, a sacrifice fly by Mike Piazza and a two-run single
by Darryl Hamilton made the score 5-3. But the Braves quickly got two of those
back in their half of the sixth when a base hit by Jose Hernandez scored two
runs. After six, Atlanta was up 7-3.
However,
the Mets scored four in the top of the seventh to tie the game. RBI singles by
Rickey Henderson and John Olerud were followed by a two-run home run by Piazza.
Both teams scratched out a run in the eighth, were scoreless in the ninth and
the game headed to the tenth tied at eight.
The
Mets broke the deadlock off of Braves’ closer John Rocker, on a sacrifice fly
by Todd Pratt. But Atlanta tied it in the bottom of the tenth on an RBI single
by Ozzie Guillen. After the Mets went in order in the eleventh, the Braves had
another opportunity to win the pennant in their half.
With
Kenny Rogers on the mound for the Mets, Gerald Williams led off the inning with
a double. Braves’ second baseman Bret Boone sacrificed Williams over to third
and the NLCS-clinching run was only 90 feet away. Intentional walks to Chipper
Jones and Brian Jordan loaded the bases, setting up a force play at every base.
The
Atlanta hitter was Andruw Jones. Rogers and Jones battled to a full count.
Rogers came to the belt and delivered the pitch. It was high and wide. He had
walked in the winning run and the Mets were (literally) walked off. The Braves
had won their fifth pennant of the decade.
They
would be swept in the World Series by the Yankees and, to date, have not been
back to the Fall Classic since.
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