Fish on Menu at Denny’s

Denny Neagle remembers his previous postseason start for many reasons, all of them bad.

It occurred against the New York Yankees in Game 4 of last season’s World Series, and it ended poorly for the Atlanta Brave left-hander and his teammates. Neagle had waited a long time for another chance in the playoffs.

On Saturday night, Neagle got what he wanted and more.

Mixing his pitches and in command throughout, Neagle pitched a four-hit shutout to lead the Braves to a 4-0 victory over the Florida Marlins in Game 4 of the National League championship series. Neagle’s impressive performance helped the Braves even the best-of-seven series, 2-2.

Atlanta is now assured of ending the series at Turner Field. Game 5 is here today, and the Braves are breathing a little easier.

“We needed a good game and this was one of Denny’s best,” Manager Bobby Cox said. “We were very confident about our chances coming in because of our pitching. We’re not cocky, but we’re confident every day because our pitching is pretty good.”

That’s for sure.

Neagle walked one and struck out seven, including Jeff Conine to end the game. He pitched the first complete game in the championship series since Tim Wakefield did it for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 6 of the 1992 series against the Braves.

The complete-game shutout was the first since the Braves’ John Smoltz shut out the Pirates in Game 7 of the 1991 championship series. Neagle’s show unfolded before a Pro Player Stadium crowd of 54,890, which eclipsed the attendance record set in Game 3.

However, this game wasn’t as much fun for the Marlins or their fans.

“Denny was just outstanding, he was fantastic,” said Marlin Manager Jim Leyland, whom Neagle played for in Pittsburgh. “We really couldn’t get anything going against him at all.”

Neagle’s last postseason start didn’t go as well.

After trailing by six runs against Neagle and the Braves, the Yankees rallied to win Game 4 of the World Series, 8-6, in 10 innings. The Yankees scored three runs in the sixth inning as Neagle tired. The Yankees tied the series, 2-2, and won the title in six games.

Neagle, who won 20 games in the regular season, didn’t pitch in the three-game sweep of Houston in the division series. He pitched three scoreless innings in relief of Greg Maddux in Game 1 of the championship series, but Neagle said he needed to pitch in a game that belonged to him.

This wasn’t the World Series, but Neagle said it would do.

“The World Series left a bad taste in my mouth and I definitely used that for motivation,” he said. “I told my wife [Jennifer] that this could be my last start of the season, so I was going to go out there and attack all game.

“I wasn’t going to worry about anything except going after the hitters. I wasn’t going to go into the winter saying that I didn’t give it my best.”

Neagle was efficient, throwing 75 strikes among 107 pitches.

Fred McGriff drove in two runs and Chipper Jones had three hits in five at-bats and scored two runs. Their efforts helped the Braves overcome the absence of outfielder Ryan Klesko, who injured his left wrist and shoulder while trying to catch Charles’ Johnson’s three-run double in Game 3. Cox expects Klesko to be ready for tonight’s game.

Florida’s only threat against Neagle came in the bottom of the sixth, when the Marlins put runners on first and second with two out. But Gary Sheffield hit into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

In the first, the Braves took a 1-0 lead on McGriff’s run-scoring single to right. But Jones’ baserunning problems in the series continued.

With one out and Jeff Blauser on first, Jones singled to left field. Blauser scored on McGriff’s hit and Jones was caught in a rundown between second and third. Jones had been caught in a rundown in Game 3.

“Chipper has been known as one of our best baserunners since he came into the organization at 18,” Cox said. “He just made a couple of mistakes.”

But players as talented as Jones usually atone for their mistakes. In the third, Jones helped the Braves take a 2-0 lead.

Jones doubled down the left-field line and scored on Andruw Jones’ run-scoring single to right. Chipper Jones is batting .438 (seven for 16) in the series. Meanwhile, Neagle was cruising.

As with Smoltz in Game 3 Friday, Neagle didn’t give up a hit in the first three innings Saturday. However, Neagle’s hopes for a no-hitter ended when McGriff couldn’t make a play on a bunt by Kurt Abbott in the fourth.

Marlin left-hander Al Leiter was an emergency replacement. Staff ace Kevin Brown couldn’t start because of a stomach virus.

So Leiter, who was supposed to start in Game 5, moved up a day. That turned out to be another problem for Leyland. Leiter gave up four runs and 10 hits in six innings.

“We’re still OK,” Leyland said. “It’s been a great series so far and I expect it to continue to stay that way.”

* MIKE DOWNEY: C14