If Bobby Cox was going to have a dramatic farewell, this was the series to close the book on. Four games, all decided by a single run, all turning on controversial or tide-turning plays, the only shame is that it didn’t go one game further. The Giants will advance to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLCS after outlasting the Braves 3-2 in another storybook playoff game. Brooks Conrad was greeted by fans in Atlanta and cheered loudly as teammates and opponents alike offered their regards for the very human night that he had on Sunday. Despite the warm reception, Bobby Cox felt it best to start Omar Infante at second base and bring Troy Glaus off the bench to play third, saving Conrad as a potential salvation-redeeming late-inning hero. Derek Lowe oozed playoff guts as he no-hit the Giants through five, then gave up his first hit on a Cody Ross home run to tie the score at one. Atlanta had scrapped together a run off of a Brian McCann sac fly in the 4th, and would get another run from McCann on a first-pitch-of-the-inning offering from incumbent starter Madison Bumgarner in the 6th. Bumgarner had been sitting on the bench with a pinch hitter on deck as Ross stood in against Lowe, but when Ross cracked a homer to left, Bruce Bochy pulled Nate Schierholtz back to the dugout and sent Bumgarner to the plate. Bumgarner’s first pitch of the next half-inning was McCann’s smash, and Bochy promptly removed the rookie.
Armed with a lead that revitalized the crowd and seemed to rejuvenate an animated Lowe on the mound, Atlanta got to work, but Lowe issued his first walk of the game to Aubrey Huff, then Buster Posey awkwardly struck a slow roller down the third base line that Troy Glaus was unable to track down. Glaus, playing at his unnatural new position out of necessity, was playing far back at third and the slow roller allowed Posey to reach first with 1 out. Bobby Cox came out to the mound and seemed ready to call to the bullpen, but Lowe visibly shook Bobby off and assured him that he was ready to close out the inning. Bobby retreated to the dugout and let Lowe have his crack at it, but Lowe walked Pat Burrell to load the bases and hung his head as Cox came out to retrieve him. Upset with the strike zone, he gave way to Peter Moylan, who induced a ground ball to Alex Gonzalez, who flipped the ball to Infante to get the force out at second, but umpire Ed Hickox ruled that Infante’s toe had left the bag before he secured the catch, a judgment that did not seem to hold up on replays and which was certainly a split-second decision. It wouldn’t have mattered much, as Cody Ross’ NL-East killer heroics came through yet again, as his grounder through the left side of the infield scored Posey, but Matt Diaz threw Pat Burrell out at home to keep the score at 3-2 and give Atlanta hope.
Down to their final three outs, Brooks Conrad led off the 9th inning as a pinch hitter for Atlanta and it seemed like the baseball gods might smile on Bobby yet again, but Conrad flew out to center field to quiet the cheers. The Braves mounted a one-out rally with walks by Rick Ankiel and Eric Hinske, but Omar Infante struck out and Melky Cabrera grounded to third as Brian Wilson closed the door on Bobby Cox and Billy Wagner’s Hall of Fame careers and preserved the series win for San Francisco. This was a series marked by late-inning heroics, such as Ankiel’s home run into the cove, Conrad’s muffed grounder, Posey’s steal of second in Game One, Hinske’s homer late in Game 3. This one will be remembered by fans of each team alike, but for the Braves it’s just another chapter of heartbreak while the Giants will try to ride their pitching staff past a vaunted Philadelphia offense who also happens to be anchored by ace Roy Halladay, and he’ll face Tim Lincecum in a big Game One. Lincecum may have had 14 k’s in his first postseason start during this series, but Halladay’s first postseason start, also this year, was a no-hitter against the Reds. Their matchup will be highly-anticipated and will be a big game for the Giants if they want to play David to Philadelphia’s Goliath in a bit of team name role-reversing.