Braves Get 10th Title in a Row

The Atlanta Braves are used to celebrating division titles at this time of year, but the revelry was a little more intense after No. 10.

Champagne flowed and someone brought out a yellowish pudding, rubbing it in the faces of unsuspecting teammates.

“Most times, we don’t celebrate like this,” John Smoltz said Friday night after the Braves clinched the National League East and their 10th consecutive division championship with a 20-3 rout of the Florida Marlins.

“But after struggling and scratching and clawing all year, it meant a lot to win this division.”

The Braves kept their streak alive despite a season-ending injury to leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal, the trade of John Rocker and an offense that had trouble scoring runs most of the season.

They fell eight games behind Philadelphia early in the season and struggled to finish off the Phillies down the stretch. Finally, they clinched with their highest scoring game in more two years, which started with a 10-run first inning.

“The bottom line is the same--we’re back in the playoffs,” said Tom Glavine, who joins Smoltz as the only two players to be a part of all 10 championship teams. “The difference is we’re hot right now. We’ve done things in the last week that we haven’t done all year.”

Last weekend, the Braves won two of three from the New York Mets, all but knocking out the defending NL champions. Then, they pushed the Phillies to the brink of elimination by winning two of three.

While Atlanta will have the worst record among the eight playoffs teams, it has won seven of 10 games.

“It doesn’t matter what your record is when you get to the playoffs,” Glavine said. “You just want to have a hot hand in a short series, then roll the dice.”

The Braves became the first pro sports team to win 10 division titles in row. The Boston Celtics (1957-65) and Lakers (1982-90) captured nine consecutive in the NBA.

In an appropriate touch, it came exactly 10 years after Smoltz went the distance to beat Houston in the final game of the 1991 season, getting the streak started.

After No. 10, the Braves should send a bottle of bubbly to Florida starter Ryan Dempster, who had the shortest start of his career. Dempster walked six and threw only 14 strikes in 45 pitches before he was replaced after retiring just two batters.

“It was like going into battle with water pistols when they had shotguns,” Dempster said. “If there’s one thing I hate, it’s giving up runs after getting a lead. But what are you going to do? Ask [Atlanta Manager] Bobby Cox for a redo?”