In as tight a division series as any you're ever going to see, all four games between the Braves and Giants were decided by one run, with late lead changes in three of them and a 14-strikeout two-hitter in the other. Unfortunately for Atlanta, they wound up on the short end of the first, third, and fourth, and the Braves will now return home to begin the offseason while the Giants move on to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS.
Cody Ross, Giants Rally Past Braves To Win NLDS, End Bobby Cox’s Career
Following a heartbreaking late loss in Game 3 that saw Brooks Conrad end up on the bench, the Braves wanted to get out to a quick start in Game 4, and they were able to do just that behind the pitching of Derek Lowe and a couple productive outs. Lowe was perfect through his first three innings of work, and in the bottom of the third, Omar Infante reached second on a pair of singles, advanced to third on a fly ball by Derrek Lee, and scored on a sac fly by Brian McCann. Infante's run gave Atlanta an early 1-0 lead.
And the lead would hold up for a little while, as Lowe worked around an error to keep the Giants hitless and scoreless into the sixth. It was there that, with one out, Lowe made his first mistake of the ballgame - he left a pitch over the middle of the plate and Cody Ross lined it into the left field seats for a solo homer. The blast was the Giants' first hit of the game, and it evened the score at 1-1.
The Braves came right back in the bottom of the sixth, though, when McCann led off against starter Madison Bumgarner and pulled a curveball into the right field bleachers for a solo homer of his own. The dinger restored Atlanta's one-run lead, and brought the stadium back to life.
Yet the top of the seventh saw them give it away. Lowe put two men on base, and when Bobby Cox came out for a mound conversation, Lowe argued to stay in the game. He would then walk Pat Burrell to load the bases with one out, forcing Cox to make a pitching change. Peter Moylan entered and got the grounder he wanted off the bat of Juan Uribe, but shortstop Alex Gonzalez made a high throw to second, allowing everyone to reach and the tying run to score.
Jonny Venters then replaced Moylan and struck out Aaron Rowand, but with two outs, Cody Ross stepped in again and grounded a base hit past short and into left field. Buster Posey scored the go-ahead run, and while Matt Diaz threw Burrell out at home on the same play, the Giants were in the lead, just nine outs away from moving on.
And they were able to get those nine outs. Santiago Casilla pitched a perfect seventh, and when he later yielded to Javier Lopez, the lefty specialist was able to lock down the eighth by striking out Jason Heyward with a runner on second.
The score remained 3-2 Giants into the bottom of the ninth, when Bruce Bochy called on closer Brian Wilson. Wilson would walk two batters in the inning to give Atlanta some life, but he struck out Omar Infante on a ball in the dirt and got Melky Cabrera to hit a routine groundball to third base to end the game and send the Braves home.
The loss wrapped up a difficult series for the Braves that saw them drop consecutive winnable games at home.
Following the final out, Bobby Cox stepped out from the dugout to acknowledge the fans and tip his cap to the Giants. The Giants players lined up and applauded Cox before heading to celebrate in the clubhouse.
For the Braves, they have an offseason of reflection and regret to look forward to. For the 69 year old Bobby Cox, he's got many years of retirement to enjoy with his wife. And for the Giants, they'll head to Philadelphia for the NLCS, set to begin this coming Saturday. Game 1 will feature both Tim Lincecum and Roy Halladay in a showdown of two of the top starters in the world.
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