1993 National League Championship Series

Infobox LCS


year = 1993
champion = Philadelphia Phillies (4)
champion_manager = Jim Fregosi
champion_games = 97-65, .599, GA: 3
runnerup = Atlanta Braves (2)
runnerup_manager = Bobby Cox
runnerup_games = 104-58, .642, GA: 1
date = October 6–October 13
MVP = Curt Schilling (Philadelphia)
television = CBS
announcers = Sean McDonough and Tim McCarver
radio_network = CBS Radio
umpires = Bruce Froemming, Frank Pulli, Terry Tata, Jim Quick, Jerry Crawford, Joe WestThe by|1993 National League Championship Series was played between the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves. The Phillies stunned the 104-win Braves, who were bidding for their third consecutive World Series appearance, and won the NLCS 4-2.

Background

The blue collar Phillies, led by outfielder Lenny Dykstra and pitcher Curt Schilling, had gone from worst-to-first and cruised to a division title with a 97-65 record. The Braves, who had advanced to the World Series each of the past two seasons, won a classic division race over the 103-59 San Francisco Giants, finishing with a franchise-best 104-58 record. The heavily-favored and playoff-seasoned Braves brought their legendary pitching rotation of Cy Young winner Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Steve Avery into the NLCS with them.

ummary

After Philadelphia edged Atlanta in an exciting Game 1 that went into extra innings, the Braves hammered the Phillies in the next two games to a take a 2-1 series lead. However, the Braves' bats suddenly fell silent and the Phillies rebounded by winning close contests in the final two games in Atlanta to send the series back to Veterans Stadium with Philadelphia on top three games to two. The Phillies took Game 6 by a score of 6-3, sending them to their first World Series appearance in ten years.

Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia wins the series, 4-2

Game summaries

Game 1

Wednesday, October 6, 1993 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaLinescore
Road=Atlanta|RoadAbr=ATL
R1=0|R2=0|R3=1|R4=1|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=1|R10=0|RR=3|RH=9|RE=0
Home=Philadelphia|HomeAbr=PHI
H1=1|H2=0|H3=0|H4=1|H5=0|H6=1|H7=0|H8=0|H9=0|H10=1|HR=4|HH=9|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Mitch Williams (1-0)|LP=Greg McMichael (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=|HomeHR=Pete Incaviglia (1)|

Curt Schilling began the series spectacularly by striking out the first five hitters he faced. The game would be back and forth and low-scoring. A wild-pitch by Atlanta starter Steve Avery allowed Philadelphia to a take 3-2 sixth inning lead. The Braves manufactured the tying run in the ninth inning, but the Phillies won the game dramatically 4-3 in the tenth when Kim Batiste, whose error had helped the Braves tie the game, lined a double just beyond the reach of Atlanta third baseman Terry Pendleton to score John Kruk. Schilling finished the game with eight innings pitched and ten strikeouts in the no-decision.

Game 2

Thursday, October 7, 1993 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaLinescore
Road=Atlanta|RoadAbr=ATL
R1=2|R2=0|R3=6|R4=0|R5=1|R6=0|R7=0|R8=4|R9=1|RR=14|RH=16|RE=0
Home=Philadelphia|HomeAbr=PHI
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=2|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=1|HR=3|HH=7|HE=2
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Greg Maddux (1-0)|LP=Tommy Greene (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=Jeff Blauser (1), Fred McGriff (1), Terry Pendleton (1), Damon Berryhill (1)|HomeHR=Lenny Dykstra (1), Dave Hollins (1)|

The Braves offense crushed Phillies starter Tommy Greene right away in Game 2. An upper deck shot by Fred McGriff gave Atlanta a 2-0 first inning lead. Behind home runs by Jeff Blauser and Damon Berryhill, the Braves had built an 8-0 lead by the third inning. The Braves piled it on, with Terry Pendleton hitting a fifth-inning homer and Ron Gant adding a three-run double in the eighth. Greg Maddux gave up two runs in seven innings in the 14-3 rout, which tied the series as the teams headed south to Atlanta.

Game 3

Saturday, October 9, 1993 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaLinescore
Road=Philadelphia|RoadAbr=PHI
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=1|R5=0|R6=1|R7=0|R8=1|R9=1|RR=4|RH=10|RE=1
Home=Atlanta|HomeAbr=ATL
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=5|H7=4|H8=0|H9=X|HR=9|HH=12|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Tom Glavine (1-0)|LP=Terry Mulholland (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=John Kruk (1)|HomeHR=|

Tom Glavine surrendered only two runs in seven quality innings, while the Atlanta offense, which had been held scoreless for five innings by Terry Mulholland, erupted for nine runs in the sixth and seventh innings to break the game open. David Justice provided the go-ahead hit with a two-run double and second baseman Mark Lemke had four RBIs as the Braves won the game 9-4, and seemingly took control of the series.

Game 4

Sunday, October 10, 1993 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaLinescore
Road=Philadelphia|RoadAbr=PHI
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=2|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=2|RH=8|RE=1
Home=Atlanta|HomeAbr=ATL
H1=0|H2=1|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=0|HR=1|HH=10|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Danny Jackson (1-0)|LP=John Smoltz (0-1)|SV=Mitch Williams (1)|

John Smoltz and Danny Jackson faced off in a close Game 4. The Braves took an early 1-0 lead on a Mark Lemke double, but the Phillies went on top in the fourth inning with two unearned runs. Atlanta had baserunners throughout the rest of the game, but could not get a clutch hit as the Phillies hung on to win 2-1. Phillies closer Mitch Williams allowed the first two runners to reach in the ninth, but a double play helped him get out of it and earn the save.

Game 5

Monday, October 11, 1993 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaLinescore
Road=Philadelphia|RoadAbr=PHI
R1=1|R2=0|R3=0|R4=1|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=1|R10=1|RR=4|RH=6|RE=1
Home=Atlanta|HomeAbr=ATL
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=3|H10=0|HR=3|HH=7|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Mitch Williams (2-0)|LP=Mark Wohlers (0-1)|SV=Larry Andersen (1)
RoadHR=Lenny Dykstra (2), Darren Daulton (1)|HomeHR=|

With the series tied 2-2, the Phillies and Braves needed extra innings to decide Game 5. Curt Schilling was again lights out, tossing nine strikouts, and taking a 3-0 lead into the ninth inning. He ran into trouble and Mitch Williams relieved him, but 1992 NLCS hero Francisco Cabrera tied the game an RBI single. The Braves had a chance to win the game, but Williams got out of the jam. In the tenth, Lenny Dykstra hit a solo home run off Mark Wohlers, and Larry Andersen retired Atlanta in order to close the game.

Game 6

Wednesday, October 13, 1993 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaLinescore
Road=Atlanta|RoadAbr=ATL
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=1|R6=0|R7=2|R8=0|R9=0|RR=3|RH=5|RE=3
Home=Philadelphia|HomeAbr=PHI
H1=0|H2=0|H3=2|H4=0|H5=2|H6=2|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=6|HH=7|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Tommy Greene (1-1)|LP=Greg Maddux (1-1)|SV=Mitch Williams (2)
RoadHR=Jeff Blauser (2)|HomeHR=Dave Hollins (2)|

Trying to force a Game 7, the Braves sent their ace, Greg Maddux to the mound in Game 6. However, a Mickey Morandini line drive in the first inning hit Maddux in the leg. He stayed in the game, but was not himself. Darren Daulton hit a two-run double in the third and Dave Hollins connected for a two-run homer in the fifth, putting Philadelphia on top 4-1. Morandini's two-run triple in the sixth finally chased Maddux. Atlanta shortstop Jeff Blauser had a home run to make it 6-3, but Mitch Williams finished the Braves with a perfect ninth.

Although he did not get any decisions during his two appearances in the six-game series, Curt Schilling's 1.69 ERA and 19 strikeouts were still enough to earn him the 1993 NLCS Most Valuable Player Award. Schilling became the only pitcher in major league history to be named a postseason series MVP (League Championship Series or World Series) without either a pitching decision or a save.

Composite Box

1993 NLCS (4-2): Philadelphia Phillies over Atlanta BravesLinescore
Road=Philadelphia Phillies
R1=2|R2=0|R3=2|R4=7|R5=2|R6=4|R7=0|R8=1|R9=3|R10=2|RR=23|RH=47|RE=7
Home=Atlanta Braves
H1=2|H2=1|H3=7|H4=1|H5=2|H6=5|H7=6|H8=4|H9=5|H10=0|HR=33|HH=59|HE=5Total Attendance: 343,046 Average Attendance: 57,174|

Aftermath

In the 1993 World Series, the Phillies put up a good fight against the Toronto Blue Jays, but they fell 4-2 due to Joe Carter's dramatic three-run walk-off home run off Philadelphia closer Mitch Williams in Game 6. Although Williams is most often associated with Carter's home run, he was one the major reasons why the Phillies got to the World Series in the first place. In the NLCS, Williams was the winning pitcher in Games 1 and 5, but only because he gave up the game-tying runs. In addition, he saved Game 4 and the clincher, Game 6 for the Phillies.

Quotes of the Series

cquote|"Fair ball, into the left field corner! Kruk around to score and Kim Batiste goes from goat to hero in a matter of minutes!" - CBS Sports announcer Sean McDonough calling Phillies infielder Kim Batiste's game-winning single in the 10th inning Game 1. Batiste had committed a ninth-inning error to allow the Braves to tie the score and force extra innings.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1993_NLCS.shtml Baseball-Reference.com] - 1993 NLCS