NOTEBOOK

The only person who was running harder than Bream in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday was John Holland, the Braves’ visiting clubhouse manager.

After preparing the Pittsburgh clubhouse for a victory celebration, Holland had to redecorate during the four minutes it took for the Pirates to trudge up the runway after the game.

When Bream scored the winning run, Holland, watching on television in the clubhouse, yelled for his assistants to get moving.

Several tore down the plastic that lined the lockers to protect the players’ belongings from spraying champagne. Others took down the podium that had been set up in the center of the clubhouse for the trophy presentation. Cables were unplugged and cameras were hastily carried away.

But the most difficult task belonged to the worker who sprinted behind a cart filled with champagne bottles through the stadium tunnel to the Braves’ clubhouse.

But Holland’s crew made the deadline. When the Pirates arrived at their clubhouse in tears, there were no signs of victory to further remind them of their defeat.