Wild Ride Takes Mets Back to Atlanta

History still favors the Atlanta Braves because a 3-0 lead in any championship series usually signals closure.

But then, the battle-to-the-final-out New York Mets are accustomed to overcoming seemingly overwhelming odds. They have resurrected themselves repeatedly this year, extending their wild ride despite self-inflicted damage.

Their latest surprise act has made things tense for the suddenly concerned Braves in the National League championship series. The new-edition Amazin’ Mets have twice rallied from late one-run deficits to stave off elimination and captivate the City That Never Sleeps over the weekend, forcing Game 6 here tonight at Turner Field.

The Braves still lead the best-of-seven series, 3-2, but this is an uncomfortable situation for the team of the decade. The Mets are only the second team to have reached this point, matching the Braves’ accomplishment against the San Diego Padres during last season’s championship series.

Simply returning to Atlanta validates the Mets’ season, though they’re still focused on the prize.

Such is not the Braves’ situation.

If Atlanta loses these two here, the Braves will make history, becoming the first baseball team to squander a 3-0 advantage. So the pressure is on the Braves now, and the Mets are reveling in life on the other side.

“This is a much better place than we were in a few days ago, that’s for sure,” said New York first baseman John Olerud, whose timely hitting helped the Mets win two of three at Shea Stadium.

“I don’t think it’s a situation where we feel we’re comfortable now because they can still afford to lose a game--we can’t. But we have overcome a lot to get here, so, yeah, that’s a real good feeling. It’s a better feeling than the opposite.”

The Braves continued their dominance of the Mets by taking the first three games, improving to 12-3 against their East Division rivals. They were on the verge of sweeping the series when Olerud emerged as Met hero No. 1.

His two-run, eighth-inning single provided the tying and go-ahead runs in the Mets’ 3-2 victory in Game 4.

Robin Ventura filled the role in Game 5. The third baseman got the game-winning hit to end a 4-3, 15-inning marathon after the Braves had taken the lead in their half of the inning.

Not surprisingly, the Mets’ consecutive thrillers have boosted their confidence.

“How can you not like your chances with what we’ve done?” reliever John Franco said. “We’ve played two unbelievable games, and we keep coming back. That does something for you.”

It’s done something for the Braves too.

“Obviously, we wanted to close this out [in New York],” Atlanta reliever Mike Remlinger said. “You always want to end a series as quickly as you can, no matter who you’re playing.

“This team knows how to win, and we still feel we’re in the driver’s seat. We’re up a game, we’re playing at our place and we have our best pitcher [scheduled starter Kevin Millwood] on the mound. Are things tighter now? Yeah. But I really don’t think anyone in this clubhouse is thinking about [losing the series].”

Two NHL teams have won championship series after losing the first three games. The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders share the distinction.

It’s fitting the ’99 Mets are vying to join that club.

They trailed the Cincinnati Reds by two games with three to play in the league wild-card race because of a late-season tailspin. They swept the Pittsburgh Pirates during the final weekend of the regular season and earned the playoff berth after defeating the Reds in a one-game playoff.

The Mets won’t go quietly,

“I buy into the ‘Pet Sematary’ theory,” said Met General Manager Steve Phillips, referring to the horror movie based on a Stephen King novel. “They kept burying that cat in that cemetery and it kept coming back to life. We are that cat.

“When we got off the plane [here Monday], all the Delta employees and all the people [in the terminal] were kind of looking at us in disbelief. It was like, ‘They’re Baaaaaack.’ ”

The Mets figure the Braves are feeling heat because losing this series would be embarrassing.

“We feel we’re putting a little pressure on them,” said catcher Mike Piazza, expected to play tonight despite numerous injuries. “Hopefully, they’ll go out and press a little bit because everything goes through your mind.

“The key is to excise the ramifications and do your job. The team that’s going to win [the series] is the team that does that best.”

The Braves said they expected a formidable challenge from the Mets, despite their difficult situation, because rallies have marked their season. However, they acknowledge they didn’t expect this.

“We always knew they had a good team, and it wouldn’t surprise us whatever happened,” Millwood said. “But in the first few games, we made the big pitches and got the big hits.

“The last couple, they’ve got the big hits. We’ve just got to find a way to turn that back in our favor.”

And quickly.