Tuesday, Sept. 30, 1997 | 11:21 a.m.
A look at the best-of-5 National League division series between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves:
SCHEDULE
Game 1, Tuesday, at Atlanta (10:07 a.m., ESPN)
Game 2, Wednesday, at Atlanta (10:07 a.m., ESPN)
Game 3, Friday, at Houston (1:07 p.m., ESPN)
x-Game 4, Saturday, at Houston (10:07 a.m., ESPN)
x-Game 5, Sunday, at Houston (10:07 a.m., ESPN).
x-if necessary.
SEASON SERIES
Atlanta won, 7-4.
LINEUPS
Astros: Craig Biggio 2b (.309, 22 HRs, 81 RBIs), Derek Bell rf (.276, 15, 71), Jeff Bagwell 1b (.286, 43, 135), Luis Gonzalez lf (.258, 10, 68), Richard Hidalgo cf (.306, 2, 6), Bill Spiers 3b (.320, 4, 48), Ricky Gutierrez ss (.261, 3, 34), Brad Ausmus c (.266, 4, 44).
Braves: Kenny Lofton cf (.333, 5, 48), Jeff Blauser ss (.308, 17, 70), Chipper Jones 3b (.295, 21, 111), Fred McGriff 1b (.277, 22, 97), Ryan Klesko lf (.261, 24, 84), Javy Lopez c (.295, 23, 68), Michael Tucker (.283, 14, 56) or Andruw Jones rf (.231, 18, 70), Tony Graffanino 2b (.258, 8, 20).
ROTATIONS
Astros: RH Darryl Kile (19-7, 2.57 ERA), LH Mike Hampton (15-10, 3.83), RH Shane Reynolds (9-10, 4.23).
Braves: RH Greg Maddux (19-4, 2.20 ERA), LH Tom Glavine (14-7, 2.96), RH John Smoltz (15-12, 3.02), LH Denny Neagle (20-5, 2.97).
RELIEVERS
Astros: LH Billy Wagner (23 saves, 106 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings), LH Mike Magnante (2.27 ERA in 40 games), RH Russ Springer (74 strikeouts in 55 1/3 innings), LH Tom Martin (2.09 ERA as rookie), RH Jose Lima (1-6).
Braves: RH Mark Wohlers (33 saves in 40 chances), LH Alan Embree (hard-throwing lefty specialist), RH Brad Clontz (5-1, 51 games), RH Mike Cather (rookie side-armer with 2.39 ERA), RH Kerry Ligtenberg (rookie, pitched just 15 innings).
MATCHUPS
Astros: Houston and Atlanta may have been the most evenly matched teams in the majors this year. Even though NL East champion Braves won the season series 7-4, all 11 games were decided by either one or two runs. ... Kile, even with great curveball, was 0-2 with 3.38 ERA in three starts. ... Lefties Wagner and Martin allowed one earned run in eight innings. ... Bagwell homered twice and drew 10 walks. ... Astros safe on 12 of 15 steal tries.
Braves: Glavine owned Astros, going 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA. ... Smoltz (1-2) and Maddux (0-1) weren't as successful ... Wohlers saved five of Atlanta's seven wins. ... Lofton hit .347, making him the only regular over .300. But the speedy leadoff man was safe on only one of five steal tries. ... Lopez hit a team-high three home runs. ... RF platoon of Andruw Jones (.208) and Tucker (.185) did little. ... Graffanino homered twice in only 15 ABs.
BIG PICTURE
Astros: Making first playoff appearance since losing exciting series to Mets in 1986. ... Alone atop NL Central since July 18. ... Larry Dierker is only sixth manager to win a division title in his first season. ... Bagwell set team record for home runs, and became first Astros player to reach 30-homer, 30-steal mark. He is the first full-time first baseman ever to do it. ... Biggio (47 SB) scored 146 runs, most by NL player in 65 years. ... Like Braves, pitching is their strength. Fielding, though, is not as sharp.
Braves: Only team in majors to win 100 games. ... Became first club in history to win six straight division championships. ... Led majors in ERA and shutouts (17). How strong is the rotation? Neagle, the only 20-game winner in the NL, is the No. 4 starter. ... Middle relief is a weak spot, and Wohlers has been blowing ninth-inning leads. ... Set major-league record with 12 grand slams, three by Chipper Jones. ... Postseason veteran 2b Mark Lemke out since Aug. 21 because of badly sprained right ankle. ... Have reached four of last five World Series, winning one. Want to raise first flag at new Turner Field.
WATCH FOR
* Experience factor. Braves have plenty of it, Astros don't. Players new to the postseason, particularly pitchers, can get rattled.
* Astros to run. Speed is a big part of their game, and they'll try to disrupt Atlanta's starters -- especially Maddux -- on the bases.
* Tense, tight games. It's usually 4-3 when these teams play, and three times they went 11 or more innings.
PREDICTION
Braves in 4.
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