Crazy Thoughts Are Slowly Entering the Minds of Braves

Even the Atlanta Braves know it’s crazy to think they might become the first team in major league history to overcome a three-game deficit in the postseason.

Why, that kind of thing just doesn’t happen in baseball.

It would be like dreaming someone could hit 70 home runs. Or believing a rookie could strike out 20 batters. Or--and this is getting silly, isn’t it?--imagining Cal Ripken would ask for a day off.

Or picturing Greg Maddux and Kevin Brown pitching in relief in the same game, come to think of it.

“It seems like it’s been that kind of year, so why not?” Atlanta starter Denny Neagle said.

The Braves moved into position to pull off the wildly improbable, rallying two straight days to cut the San Diego Padres’ lead in the NL championship series to 3-2.

Atlanta hopes to tie the series today in Game 6 at Turner Field. Tom Glavine is scheduled to start for the Braves against Sterling Hitchcock, moved up a day because of Brown’s relief appearance Monday night.

The Padres got one piece of good news during Tuesday’s workout. Greg Vaughn, the 50-homer man who has not started since leaving Game 1 because of a strained left quadriceps, is expected to return to the lineup as San Diego tries to wrap up its first trip to the World Series since 1984.

“Obviously, it is not the position we wanted to be in,” Glavine said. “But we felt we had a chance and we still do because of our pitching and how we are starting to swing the bats. We feel if anyone can come back from 3-0, we can.”

Down to their final five outs Monday night at San Diego, the Braves came back for a 7-6 win that fit right into this year’s theme of wild and wacky.

Looking to avoid a trip back to Atlanta, Padre Manager Bruce Bochy gambled and brought in Brown for only his third relief appearance ever, hoping his ace could give him two strong innings.

But Brown, who had been set to start Game 6, gave up a three-run homer in the eighth to Michael Tucker that put Atlanta ahead for good. Brown wound up throwing 41 pitches, meaning he’ll now pitch Game 7, if necessary, against Maddux.

“I feel bad about that second inning because it opens up Bruce to second-guessing,” Brown said.

Brave Manager Bobby Cox did not hesitate, either, after closer Kerry Ligtenberg gave up a two-run homer to pinch-hitter Greg Myers that made the score 7-6 with no out in the ninth.

Cox summoned Maddux, who had not relieved since 1987. The four-time Cy Young winner got two quick outs, then issued a rare walk before retiring Tony Gwynn on a game-ending grounder for the first save of his pro career.

“I think it’s the first time I’ve ever pitched in relief where it actually counted,” Maddux said. “I was like a fish out of water. I didn’t know what to do, how to act. It was weird.”

The narrow victory buoyed the Braves, who became the first team to win twice after falling behind 3-0 in a postseason series. Of the previous 21 clubs facing such deficits, 18 were swept and the other three lost in Game 5.

The Braves are hoping that Turner Field, which had at least 8,000 empty seats for the first two games of the series, will be filled when the Padres return.

“People are going to say they went for the knockout blow and they didn’t land it,” Atlanta pitcher John Smoltz said. “But let’s be clear about this--we’re still trailing. We’re not in good shape. We’re just alive.”

Besides, they’ll still have to face Brown, 6-0 with a 1.85 ERA in his last eight starts against Atlanta.

“I feel a lot better than I would if we had won and if Brown hadn’t pitched,” Smoltz said. “Their rotation would have been set. Still, he’s Kevin Brown. We’ll have to beat him somewhere along the line.

“Put it this way: If he beats us in Game 7 at our place to go to the World Series, we’ll tip 18 caps to him, maybe 25,” he said.