1995 NLCS Game 1

Now that we have finalized the four teams (matching the real life participants), we will start to focus on the championship series game by game.  Starting things off with the National League Championship Series, matching up the Atlanta Braves (90-54 IRL) vs. the Cincinnati Reds (85-59).

There were a couple of things that stuck out to me about this series, that I did not remember.  First, the Reds had the home field advantage due to a predetermined formula which awarded home field advantage to the Central Division champion or its playoff opponent.  And second, the Reds acquired David Wells (to go with Pete Schourek and John Smiley to make an all-lefty starting rotation) from the Detroit Tigers for the express purpose of matching up with all of the left-handed power of the Braves (McGriff, Klesko, Justice, etc).  IRL, the Braves swept the series.  We'll see if history repeats itself.

In Game 1, the pitching matchup was Tom Glavine versus Pete Schourek.  The Reds got to Glavine early, scoring 4 runs in the first 5 innings behind a two run Benito Santiago homerun in the 3rd and a solo Reggie Sanders blast in the 5th.  A 2-run Fred McGriff blast brought the Braves closer, but the game would end with a 4-2 Reds win.  Schourek went 8 innings, allowing only 4 hits and 1 ER, striking out 7.  Jeff Brantley tossed a scoreless 9th to record the save.