1993 National League Championship Series

The 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 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, and continued the exclusive reign of NL East championships by the Phillies and the Pittsburgh Pirates, their in-state rivals during the early 1990s.^[1][2] 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.

Summary

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.

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves

Philadelphia won the series, 4–2.

Game summaries

Game 1

Wednesday, October 6, 1993, at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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, Pennsylvania

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 just 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, Georgia

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, Georgia

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 punctuated by a go ahead RBI hit by the starter Jackson. 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 groundout by Ron Gant helped him get out of it and earn the save.

Game 5

Monday, October 11, 1993, at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia

With the series tied 2–2, the Phillies and Braves needed extra innings to decide Game 5. Philadelphia got on the board in the first off Steve Avery when Mariano Duncan singled and Kruk doubled down the right field line. In the bottom of the first, the Braves missed a chance to score when Fred McGriff hit one off the top of the right field fence sending Jeff Blauser racing around third to try to score. However, Wes Chamberlain fielded the carom cleanly, threw to shortstop Kevin Stocker, who then relayed the ball home to nail Blauser. In the fourth the Phils went up 2–0 on Chamberlain's sac fly which scored Pete Incaviglia who had reached on a three base error committed by Ron Gant. Meanwhile, Curt Schilling was again lights out, tossing nine strikeouts. In the top of the ninth, a seemingly inconsequential insurance run scored when Darren Daulton homered off Greg McMichael.

However, up 3–0 entering the bottom of the ninth, trouble brewed on the horizon. Schilling walked Blauser to open the frame. Then Gant hit a sharp grounder to third which Kim Batiste booted for his second key error of the series. Williams was again asked to relieve Schilling, who would take a seat in the dugout peeking in through a towel at the beleaguered closer. The first batter Williams faced, McGriff, roped an RBI single past Duncan sending Blauser home and Gant to third. David Justice then hit a sac fly to left scoring Gant which cut the lead to 3–2. Terry Pendleton followed with a bullet past the mound and '92 LCS hero Francisco Cabrera chopped a ball up the middle that skipped past Stocker's glove to tie the game at 3–3. With one out and Pendleton taking third on the Cabrera hit, the series was hanging in the balance with the Braves 90 feet away from victory. The next batter Mark Lemke lined a shot down the left field line that looked to be a game-ending base hit for Atlanta. The crowd at Fulton County Stadium screamed and then sighed as the ball veered foul at the last second. Williams regrouped to strikeout Lemke and got Bill Pecota on a flyout to hold the game even.

In the tenth, Lenny Dykstra vaulted Philadelphia back into the lead when he drilled a full count Mark Wohlers fastball over the fence in dead center field. 40-year-old Larry Anderson then came on in the bottom half to retire the Braves in order, closing out the 4–3 nail biter. The victory put the Phillies up 3–2 going back to the Vet.

Game 6

Wednesday, October 13, 1993, at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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 the same. 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 nineteen 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, as of 2015.

Composite box

1993 NLCS (4–2): Philadelphia Phillies over Atlanta Braves

Aftermath

In the 1993 World Series, the Phillies put up a good fight against the defending champion 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 of 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.

References

External links

• 1993 NLCS at Baseball-Reference