Still a Brave Old World

Welcome to reality.

The Dodgers have been running wild ever since they obtained Otis Nixon and Eric Young, leaving one opponent after another in the dust as they raced toward what they feel confident will be the inevitable showdown with the Atlanta Braves for the right to represent the National League in the World Series.

While the Dodgers have traded and tinkered and turned their roster around, the Braves have planted their cleats, maintained the status quo and waited for the new kids on the block.

Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, old met new.

And, for one night at least, old was best.

Using the same formula that has already propelled them into four World Series in the ‘90s--great starting pitching, airtight relief, clutch hitting and flawless defense--the Braves held off the Dodgers, 4-3, in front of a disappointed Dodger Stadium crowd of 37,270.

The San Francisco Giants also lost, keeping the division-leading Dodgers 1 1/2 games in front of San Francisco.

The new-look, go-go Dodgers went down to defeat as Atlanta right-hander John Smoltz (14-11) and reliever Mark Wohlers kept the top of the Dodger order largely muffled, holding Young and Nixon to two hits in eight at-bats.

Admittedly this was only one game, with another to follow tonight against Atlanta, winners of a league-high 90 games.

But confidence could be the crucial factor if the Dodgers and Braves win their respective divisions and meet in the postseason. The Dodgers were swept out of the playoffs in three games by the Braves last year and they are eager to show that their revamped lineup has made last season meaningless.

“It was big that we beat Florida [three out of four in a just-concluded series],” Manager Bill Russell said before the game. “Like the Marlins, Atlanta has heard about [the new Dodgers], they have seen a little bit on the [television] highlights. We are a different team. We are more confident, have more energy.”

“This is a good test for us.”

Not the way it turned out.

The Dodgers failed early, starter and loser Ismael Valdes (9-11) giving up a second-inning run that was driven home on a single by Javier Lopez.

The Dodgers tied it in the bottom of the inning, with Todd Zeile sending the run home on a sacrifice fly after singles by Eric Karros and Raul Mondesi.

In the third, the Braves went ahead when Kenny Lofton singled, stole second, went to third when catcher Mike Piazza threw the ball into center, and then scored on a grounder to first by Chipper Jones.

Karros, thinking he had a shot at the sliding Lofton, threw home. The throw soared past the reach of Piazza, but it appeared he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do much with the ball even if he had caught it.

Nevertheless, Karros was charged with the error, one of four the Dodgers committed.

But it wasn’t the Dodgers’ gloves that beat them as much as Atlanta’s arms. That should be no surprise considering Smoltz is one of three Cy Young Award winners on the Braves’ staff.

Smoltz gave up one more run with Piazza smashing his 34th home run well into the seats in left-center to again even the game in the fourth.

But the Braves got to Valdes for runs in the sixth and seventh. In the sixth, Andruw Jones walked and was doubled home by Lopez. Blauser led off the seventh with his 16th home run.

The Dodgers made it close in ninth when Wohlers came in to finish up after Smoltz had given up two runs and five hits, striking out 10, but not walking a batter.

Nixon got an infield single against Wohlers, stole second, and scored on two grounders.

“You are just not going to score many runs off guys like Smoltz, [Tom] Glavine, and [Greg] Maddux,” Russell said. “It doesn’t matter who you are playing. Good pitching is going to beat good hitting any time. Smoltz pitched like Cy Young tonight.”