NLCS Notebook

Neagle: I gave us a chance to win -- and we did

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Posted: Monday October 12, 1998 01:38 AM

Still on the bubble: Chipper Jones and the Braves still have to win three straight games, including Game 5 in San Diego AP

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Atlanta's Denny Neagle had been asked one time too many about the decision to let him start -- rather than going with John Smoltz on three days' rest -- in Game 4 of the NL championship series.

"People who say that don't know what they're talking about. I'm tired of defending myself," Neagle said after holding San Diego to three runs in 5 2-3 innings of the Braves' 8-3 victory Sunday night.

"I earned the right to start this game. Everybody in the clubhouse knows it. I think I showed tonight why I should have been pitching. I gave us a chance to win, and we did."

Neagle allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out seven and left with the Braves trailing 3-2.

Rare win, rare loss

The victory was only the Braves' third in their last 14 NLCS and World Series games. They lost four games to Florida in the league championship series last year after being beaten by the New York Yankees in the last four games of the 1996 World Series.

The Padres, on the other hand, missed their chance at setting a NLCS record with seven straight wins. They won the last three games against the Chicago Cubs in 1984, then took the opening three games against Atlanta this year.

Confusing comparison

Andres Galarraga (right) is congratulated by his teammates after hitting a grand slam in the seventh inning AP

The Padres lost four consecutive games just once during the 1998 season. The Braves had winning streaks of four or more games on 14 different occasions this year.

Atlanta also is 7-2 in the 1990s when facing elimination from the NLCS.

Amid all the numbers from the past, San Diego pitching coach Dave Stewart points to the bottom line -- the Padres are up 3-1. "The odds are in our favor," he said.

Atlanta's John Smoltz, of course, looks at it from a different angle, recalling that the Braves came back from a 3-1 deficit against St. Louis in the 1996 NLCS.

"I'd like to think of all the teams in history that have been down 3-0, that never came back, but I like our chances better than all of those," the Game 5 starter said. "We're trying to extend the series and go back to Atlanta."

Rare strikeouts

San Diego's Tony Gwynn, who averaged striking out once every 28 plate appearances this season to lead that major leagues in that department, struck out twice Sunday, once against Neagle and the other time against John Rocker.

Mark made it

Padres reliever Mark Langston, who went 15 seasons and 432 major league appearances without making a postseason appearance, finally got his chance Sunday. The 38-year-old left-hander made the most of it, pitching a scoreless ninth.

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Galarraga's slam keys Braves' 8-3 win in Game 4 Braves turn to Cy Young trio Padres' pitchers finally hit a pothole
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