1995 National League Championship Series

Infobox LCS


year = 1995
champion = Atlanta Braves (4)
champion_manager = Bobby Cox
champion_games = 90-54, .625, GA: 21
runnerup = Cincinnati Reds (0)
runnerup_manager = Davey Johnson
runnerup_games = 85-59, .590, GA: 9
date = October 10–October 14
MVP = Mike Devereaux (Atlanta)
television = ABC (Game 1-2)
NBC (Game 3-4)
announcers = Al Michaels, Jim Palmer, and Tim McCarver (Game 1-2)
Greg Gumbel and Joe Morgan (Game 3-4)
radio_network = CBS Radio
radio_announcers = Jim Hunter and Jerry Coleman
umpires = Paul Runge, Jim Quick, Dana DeMuth, Gerry Davis, Randy Marsh, Jerry Crawford
LDS1 = Atlanta Braves over Colorado Rockies (3-1)
LDS2 = Cincinnati Reds over Los Angeles Dodgers (3-0)The by|1995 National League Championship Series (NLCS), the second round of baseball's 1995 National League playoffs, matched the Eastern Division champion Atlanta Braves against the Central Division champion Cincinnati Reds. The Reds had the home field advantage.

The two teams were victorious in the NL Division Series (NLDS), with the Braves defeating the wild card qualifier Colorado Rockies 3 games to 1, and the Reds defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers 3 games to 0. The Braves won the series 4 games to 0 to become the National League champions, and defeated the American League champion Cleveland Indians in the 1995 World Series.

This NLCS was notable as it matched up what had been the 2 easternmost teams in the National League West Division from 1969-1993, both teams having been placed there at the insistence of the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs (the former team wanted the Cubs' rivals St. Louis Cardinals, then the dominating power of the NL, in the National League East Division, and the Cubs wanted in the same division as St. Louis).

ummary

Atlanta Braves vs. Cincinnati Reds

Atlanta wins the series, 4-0

Game summaries

Game 1

Tuesday, October 10, 1995 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioLinescore
Road=Atlanta|RoadAbr=ATL
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=1|R10=0|R11=1|RR=2|RH=7|RE=0
Home=Cincinnati|HomeAbr=CIN
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=1|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=0|H10=0|H11=0|HR=1|HH=8|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Mark Wohlers (1-0)|LP=Mike Jackson (0-1)|SV=Greg McMichael (1)|

The opening game of the 1995 NLCS would be well-pitched and decided in extra innings. The only run allowed by Tom Glavine, who would go seven innings, came on a Ron Gant single following a Barry Larkin triple in the fourth. Pete Schourek was lights out the entire game, but allowed the Braves to plate a run in the ninth to send the game to extra innings. In the 11th inning, bench player Mike Devereaux singled in Fred McGriff to give Atlanta a 2-1 lead. Manager Bobby Cox needed to use three pitchers in the bottom of the inning, but Greg McMichael induced a double play that ended the game.

Game 2

Wednesday, October 11, 1995 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioLinescore
Road=Atlanta|RoadAbr=ATL
R1=1|R2=0|R3=0|R4=1|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|R10=4|RR=6|RH=11|RE=1
Home=Cincinnati|HomeAbr=CIN
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=2|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=0|H10=0|HR=2|HH=9|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Greg McMichael (1-0)|LP=Mark Portugal (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=Javy López (1)|HomeHR=|

With John Smoltz on the mound, the Braves took an early 1-0 lead, then got a second run in the fourth on a Mike Devereaux RBI double. Jeff Branson stealing home in the fifth tied the game at 2-2. That score held until the tenth inning, when the Braves scored four runs and took the game. Cincinnati reliever Mark Portugal's wild pitch allowed Mark Lemke to scamper home with the go-ahead run. Javy López followed with a three-run blast that blew the game open.

Game 3

Friday, October 13, 1995 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaLinescore
Road=Cincinnati|RoadAbr=CIN
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=1|R9=1|RR=2|RH=8|RE=0
Home=Atlanta|HomeAbr=ATL
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=3|H7=2|H8=0|H9=X|HR=5|HH=12|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Greg Maddux (1-0)|LP=David Wells (0-1)|SV=Mark Wohlers (1)
RoadHR=|HomeHR=Chipper Jones (1), Charlie O'Brien (1)|

Greg Maddux went eight innings and only gave up one run in another strong start for an Atlanta starter. Lefty David Wells, acquired by Cincinnati in anticipation of facing the predominantly left-handed Braves lineup in the playoffs, matched Maddux with a scoreless first five innings. But, right-handed Atlanta catcher Charlie O'Brien belted a three-run homer in the sixth off Wells. Rookie Chipper Jones hit a two-run shot in the seventh to make it 5-0 Braves. Mark Wohlers earned the save in the ninth as the Braves held on for a 5-2 victory.

Game 4

Saturday, October 14, 1995 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaLinescore
Road=Cincinnati|RoadAbr=CIN
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=0|RH=3|RE=1
Home=Atlanta|HomeAbr=ATL
H1=0|H2=0|H3=1|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=5|H8=0|H9=X|HR=6|HH=12|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Steve Avery (1-0)|LP=Pete Schourek (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=|HomeHR=Mike Devereaux (1)|

Steve Avery, who was inconsistent all season, got the start for Atlanta and tossed six scoreless innings. Mark Lemke hit an RBI single in the third to give Atlanta a 1-0 lead. The game remained close until the seventh, when series MVP Mike Devereaux hit a three-run shot in a five-run Atlanta inning. Ahead 6-0, Bobby Cox took no chances and used closer Mark Wohlers to finish off the Reds in the 9th. The shutout victory completed a surprisingly easy sweep of Cincinnati and sent the Braves to their third World Series in five years.

Composite Box

1995 NLCS (4-0): Atlanta Braves over Cincinnati RedsLinescore
Road=Atlanta Braves
R1=1|R2=0|R3=1|R4=1|R5=0|R6=3|R7=7|R8=0|R9=1|R10=4|R11=1|RR=19|RH=42|RE=3
Home=Cincinnati Reds
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=1|H5=2|H6=0|H7=0|H8=1|H9=1|H10=0|H11=0|HR=5|HH=28|HE=2Total Attendance: 188,497 Average Attendance: 47,124|

Quotes

Trivia

* The Reds offense only managed to score five runs in four games off Atlanta's pitching staff, even with the fact that the first two contests went to extra-innings.

* This was the only NLCS to end in a 4-game sweep until 2007, when the Colorado Rockies defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks in 4 games.

Notes