NOTEBOOK : Atlanta Is Still Bubbly Over Victory

Some of the headlines in the Atlanta Journal and Constitution on Thursday read:

“Oh, Yes!”

“One for the Ages!”

“Unbelievable!”

John Schuerholz, the Atlanta Braves’ general manager, was still trying to separate fact from fantasy Thursday, trying to come to grips with his team’s three-run, ninth-inning rally that produced a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 7 of the National League playoffs Wednesday night and put the Braves back into the World Series, this time against the Toronto Blue Jays.

“I’m looking at the scoreboard out of the window of my office, and they still have those three runs up for us in the ninth,” he said. “That assures me it’s a fact.”

It was the only thing people seemed to be talking about in the bars and restaurants in Atlanta, that and the fact that ticket brokers were already asking and getting $300 for $45 Series tickets in the outfield upper decks and twice that for better seats.

Schuerholz said he was still holding out hope when that ninth inning began Wednesday night, but knew “we had a lot of work to do in a short time.”

“I’ve also never seen a guy pitch more competitively,” he said of Pirate starter Doug Drabek, who had given up only five hits through eight innings and had retired the Braves in order in the eighth.

The key to what followed, Schuerholz said, was the leadoff double by switch-hitter Terry Pendleton, who had been one for 21 left-handed in the series.

“His hit leading off that inning lifted my spirits tremendously,” Schuerholz said. “I had the feeling we could at least tie with (David) Justice, (Sid) Bream and (Ron) Gant up next.”

Justice reached base on a rare error by second baseman Jose Lind, Bream walked to load the bases and Pirate Manager Jim Leyland had to go to an inconsistent bullpen, bringing in Stan Belinda, who was 18 for 24 in save chances during the season.

Gant scored Pendleton with a fly to deep left. Then Belinda, who had elicited only one double play all season, jammed pinch-hitter Brian Hunter, who popped to Lind for the second out. A walk to Damon Berryhill loaded the bases again.

Francisco Cabrera, a reserve catcher added to the roster Aug. 31, capped the rally with his two-run single, sending the Braves to the World Series and brightening the possibility that Cabrera will find regular work next year as an expansion selection by the Florida Marlins or Colorado Rockies.