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Feeling Chipper Jones' eighth-inning blast gives Braves 1-0 lead
Updated: Wednesday October 10, 2001 9:17 AM
HOUSTON (AP) -- The Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros were almost mirror images Tuesday. Both had great starting pitching, costly errors by shortstops and closers that served up home runs. The difference? Come playoff time, the Braves know how to win these type of games and the Astros don't. Chipper Jones hit a three-run homer off nemesis Billy Wagner, capping a four-run eighth inning against the Houston bullpen as Atlanta pulled out a 7-4 victory in the opener of this first-round NL playoff series. The Braves eliminated the Astros from the playoffs in 1997 and '99, but had been on the other end lately. They had lost seven straight postseason games, getting swept by St. Louis in the first round last year and by the New York Yankees in the '99 World Series. "We've always had good pitching and so have they, but the ball bounces our way probably a little more," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said. The Astros came in hoping to continue the momentum for a weekend series against the Cardinals, when they won Friday and Sunday to clinch the Central title for the fourth time in five years.
Instead, they reverted to the type of team that blew a 5 1/2-game lead with 12 left and has yet to win a playoff series in six tries. This was the seventh playoff game in which they blew a save. "We've won the first one before and we've lost the first one before, it doesn't matter," Wagner said. "We have nothing to lose because we've never won a series. So why would we be uptight? We just have to go out and play." Game 2 is Wednesday afternoon. The Astros will give Dave Mlicki his first postseason start two months after he was almost demoted to the bullpen. The Braves will counter with Tom Glavine, who is 9-0 in 11 starts in Houston since June 1991. Greg Maddux opened the series for Atlanta with a game he and Cox called one of his best ever, but left trailing 3-2. Brad Ausmus a career .259 hitter who came in batting .400 against Maddux, tied the game at 2 in the fifth by drilling a slider 390 feet into the walkway above the fence in left-center. The go-ahead run was unearned as shortstop Rey Sanchez's fielding error put on Julio Lugo to lead off the sixth. He scored from third on a slow grounder by Moises Alou that Sanchez had no choice but to throw to first. "I thought I pitched about as well as I can pitch today, and I still gave up three runs," said Maddux, who allowed four hits, stuck out five and forced double-play grounders to end the third and fourth innings. He also was helped by Andruw Jones' superb diving catch of a sure leadoff double by Moises Alou in the second. Houston starter Wade Miller was as good as the four-time Cy Young winner, giving up two runs -- on a sacrifice fly and solo homer, both by Brian Jordan -- over seven innings. Miller allowed seven hits, struck out two and didn't walk any in his first playoff game and his first big-league start on three days' rest. "He pitched a great game," said Astros manager Larry Dierker. "He should've been the winning pitcher." He wasn't because Atlanta had its way with the Houston bullpen. Pinch-hitter Keith Lockhart led off the eighth with a double off reliever Mike Jackson, then scored on a one-out single by Marcus Giles. Franco followed with what should've been an inning-ending double play, but Lugo booted it. Dierker then replaced the righty Jackson with lefty Wagner, forcing Jones to hit right-handed, his weaker side; only eight of his 38 homers came that way. Jones also was 0-for-8 with six strikeouts against Wagner. Jones defied the numbers by hitting the first pitch just over the high wall in left field. "Fortunately, I was able to get a good part of the bat on it and eek it out," Jones said. "He's a guy who serves it up there and says, 'Here it is, hit it.'" Given a 6-3 lead, Cox went to John Smoltz, the dominant postseason starter making his playoff debut as a full-time closer. He pitched two innings for the save, but gave up a solo homer to Vinny Castilla in the ninth. Rudy Seanez, who threw the seventh, got his first playoff win. Smoltz threw only 19 pitches, so Cox said he could be used Wednesday. Smoltz hopes he's not needed. "We can't afford to keep coming back," Smoltz said. "We've got to put it away earlier." Former President George Bush and wife, Barbara, were among those soaking in the sunshine for the first outdoor playoff game on grass in Houston. The noon CDT start, however, likely contributed to the thousands of empty seats in the upper sections of Enron Field. The early start drew a crowd of only 35,553, far short of the capacity of 40,950. Many of them starting heading out when Andruw Jones led off the ninth with a homer off Mike Williams, giving the bullpen five runs allowed in two innings. Notes: Maddux walked three, his most since a season-high four against Boston on June 15. ... The Braves' last postseason win came in Game 6 of the 1999 NLCS against the New York Mets. ... Cox said he'll use a three-man rotation, bringing back Maddux for Game 4 Saturday, if necessary. ... The Astros wasted no time commemorating their Central title, posting a large white banner above the wall in left-center field. It's much larger than the metal flags honoring the previous five division titles. ... Braves infielder Ken Caminiti, a former Astro, received warm applause during pregame introductions. ... The Texas A&M corps of cadets brought a large flag to center for a prayer and moment of silence. A quartet of Houston police officers sang the national anthem. Five members of the Texas Task Force 1, Urban Search and Rescue Team went to the mound for the ceremonial first pitch, which was thrown by their team leader. They received a standing ovation.
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