'27 Bucs split with '96 Braves

Game 1: The Braves roughed up Pirate ace Lee Meadows to the tune of 9 runs en route to a 9-2 win. Pittsburgh struck first when centerfielder Kiki Cuyler blasted a solo shot to left. The Braves answered back with two in the bottom of the inning. Chipper Jones and Jermaine Dye hit their first homers of the season and Steve Avery went 7 with only 2 runs allowed.

Game 2: The Bucs struck back and tagged Greg Maddux for 7 runs (3 earned) in 6 innings of work. Every member of the Pirate starting 9 had at least 1 hit. Shortstop Glenn Wright knocked in 3 runs and had 2 of the Pirates 14 hits. Ryan Klesko hit his 5th of the season and the first time in a game the Braves lost.

Game 3: Finally the series has a close game. Smoltz and Kremer locked up in a pitching duel with Smoltz besting his opponent for 8 innings. With the score 2-1 Atlanta the Pirates plated 2 in the 9th to defeat Smoltz in a heartbreaker. Grantham led of the 9th with a clean single through the box. 2 batters later Smith singled, which was followed by a clean single by pinch hitter Gooch. With the bases loaded Smoltz needed a clutch performance. In what seems to be a lost season for the Michigan native, Smoltz walked the next two batters (Lloyd Waner and Kiki Cuyler) to give the Pirates a 3-2 victory and send the Forbes Field crowd into a frenzy.


Game 4: Tommy Glavine (3-0, 0.76) and Carmen Hill (0-2, 3.67) locked up in the second pitcher's duel in a row. Glavine had a no hitter going for 4 1/3 innings until Harris singled to right for the Pirates. Neither team scored until the Braves broke through with 2 in the top of the 6th. Grissom led off with a single and promptly stole second. McGriff, the crime dog, doubled him home and 2 batters later Klesko singled McGriff home for the second run. Atlanta tacked on one more in the 7th when Grissom singled home Jeff Blauser who walked. The Pirates scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the 8th when Grantham singled home Lloyd Waner. Glavine got the first 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, but looked out of gas as Wohlers came on to get the final out and notch his 4th save.