Braves’ Weiss Guy Becomes Hit Man

His game-saving glove work had already earned him a place in Atlanta Braves’ postseason lore.

On Tuesday night, Walt Weiss added to his unexpected story.

The little-used shortstop also will be remembered for his timely offensive contribution during the Braves’ 4-2 victory over the New York Mets in Game 1 of the National League championship series.

He went three for four and produced important runs, helping the Bravescontinue their dominance over their division rivals.

“Pretty clutch,” third baseman Chipper Jones said of Weiss. “He probably has started only a couple of times in the last couple of weeks, and then he goes out and does that. Like I said, pretty clutch.”

Weiss scored the go-ahead run in the fifth after leading off with a double, and his run-scoring single in the eighth provided insurance before another non-sellout postseason crowd of 44,172 at Turner Field.

As it turned out, the cushion helped.

The Mets cut the lead to 4-2 in the ninth after Jones committed an error, and they had the tying run at the plate against closer John Rocker. With a runner on first, Rocker got Rey Ordonez to ground to third, earning a save and preserving the victory for starter Greg Maddux.

The four-time Cy Young Award winner was typically efficient, giving up only one run in seven innings. He also made a sensational defensive play in the seventh inning while helping the Braves take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Afterward, Maddux focused on the surprise starter at shortstop.

“It was really nice to see him get some hits and come through like that,” said Maddux, who robbed Ordonez with a backhand grab of his line drive. “Everybody knows Walt can definitely pick it, but he really played a big role for us offensively tonight, and that’s good to see.

“He’s an easy guy to pull for because he’s such a good guy. You like to see this happen to a guy like Walt.”

Jose Hernandez supplanted Weiss as the Braves’ starting shortstop when he was acquired from the Chicago Cubs on July 31. Hernandez is better offensively, and Weiss struggled at the plate this season.

A .257 career hitter, Weiss batted only .226 in his second season with the Braves, dropping from .280 in 1998. But Weiss has contributed defensively.

He helped the Braves escape a none-out, bases-loaded jam in the 10th inning of their 5-3, 12-inning victory over the Houston Astros in Game 3 of the division series, making a diving stop of a liner hit by Tony Eusebio and throwing to the plate for a force.

Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox put Weiss in the starting lineup because he has been impressed with his progress recently under batting instructor Don Baylor. It showed.

With the score tied, 1-1, Weiss doubled to right-center against Met starter and loser Masato Yoshii. He advanced to third on Maddux’s sacrifice bunt and scored to put the Braves ahead, 2-1, on leadoff batter Gerald Williams’ single against the Mets’ drawn-in infield.

Catcher Eddie Perez pushed the lead to 3-1 with a solo home run in the seventh against reliever Pat Mahomes. Then Weiss capped his three-hit night, driving in Andruw Jones with a single in the eighth.

“It’s been a tough year,” Weiss said. “I didn’t get a chance to contribute a lot during the season. Everyone has a role, and you have to accept your role and do what’s best for the team.

“But you still want to be out there and you still want to contribute. The postseason is a new season, and I’m just happy to get that chance now.”

The Braves took nine of 12 from the Mets in the season series. In their last 15 meetings at Turner Field, the Braves have 14 victories.

Weiss got much of the credit for the most recent victory over the Mets.

“Well, it was kind of a storybook performance, really,” said Cox, his face creased by a wide grin. “He had two big hits and three tonight. He didn’t have a lot of chances in the field, but we all know he can catch the ball.

“It was terrific to see him do that [contribute offensively]. He’s only played sporadically for the last month and a half or so. He had a great night, and it came at a good time.”

Not for the Mets.

Their Atlanta-induced nightmare got worse. They experienced more mental lapses in another psyche-damaging performance.

In one particularly embarrassing moment, the Mets squandered a none-out, runner-on-third opportunity against Maddux in the third.

Roger Cedeno--who made a sensational sliding catch in right on a ball hit by Bret Boone in the fifth--led off with a double to left-center and raced to third on left fielder Williams’ errant throw.

Ordonez hit a dribbler that appeared to be going foul in the circle around the plate. But catcher Perez grabbed the ball along the chalk and threw to first baseman Ryan Klesko for the first out.

Then Perez tagged Cedeno along the third-base line for the second out after Yoshii missed the ball on a squeeze play, and Yoshii’s grounder to Maddux provided the final out.

From there, Maddux was Maddux.

“Just dominant,” second baseman Boone said. “He goes out and he [gives up] one or two runs. And he’s probably the best fielding pitcher I’ve ever seen too.

“He really spoils you playing behind him. Just awesome.”

Of course, Maddux is expected to do that. Guys named Weiss aren’t, or are they?

“You need to have a lot of unsung heroes in the postseason,” said Chipper Jones, who walked three times [once intentionally] as the Mets pitched around him as expected. “You want guys to get opportunities and make the most of them. That’s what we’re going to need.”

That’s what Weiss did.

NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

NEW YORK

Kenny Rogers

(5-1, 4.03 ERA)

vs.

ATLANTA

Kevin Millwood

(18-7, 2.68 ERA)

Game 2

Today at Atlanta,

1 p.m.

Channel 4