Brian Anderson (4-0, 2.55) went the distance and only gave up 3 runs...all in the 6th, as the Wild Card DBacks jumped out to a 1-0 series lead. Jim Wilson (2-3, 5.40) gave up 6 runs in 6 innings of poor work. David Dellucci banged out 3 hits and Andy Fox had 2 RBI's.GAME 2 - 10/2 - Braves Field - BSN 3, ARI 2
Omar Daal and Virgil Jester both hooked up in a pitcher's duel as there was no score for the first 4 and a half innings of play. The Braves touched Daal for 2 in the home half of the 5th, when Sid Gordon hit a 2 run shot. The DBacks tied it up int the 8th, when they scored 2 runs with 2 outs thanks to some clutch hitting by Pinch Hitter Kelley Stinnett and some poor fielding (by Jester). The fans were treated to extra frames as the home team won it on a walk off walk to future HOF'er Eddie Mathews.
GAME 3 - 10/4 - The BOB - BSN 12, ARI 8
A wild and wacky one at "The BOB" saw the Dbacks slam Boston's ace, Warren Spahn (4-3, 2.95) for 6 runs in 6 innings, but still not win. Arizona's starter, Telemaco was downright dreadful, as he yielded 6 runs on 8 hits in only 3 innings of work. With all that said the game was still knotted at 6 going into the 7th, when the visiting Boston B's exploded for 6 runs off of an endless procession of pitiful hurlers. The Dbacks scored solo runs in the 8th and 9th to try to inch closer, but they just ran out of outs. Eddie Mathews was the star of this game with a KOD playoff record of 10 RBI's. Mathews went 3 for 3 with 3 runs scored + 2 walks and 3 homers in this post season game of a lifetime.GAME 4 - 10/5 - The BOB - ARI 6, BSN 0
Andy "the merchant of" Benes (4-2, 3.62) put the fate of his team's season on his huge shoulders as he tossed a complete game 2 hit shutout. The D-Backs jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first off of Boston's starter, Max Sukont, and never looked back. Devon White had 3 RBI's to pace the offense.
GAME 5 - 10/6 - Braves Field - BSN 4, ARI 2
The series migrated back east for the decisive game 5. Braves Field was packed like it had never been packed before. Boston management contemplated moving the game to Fenway, to increase the gate, but the fans, and finally management decided against the move. The Braves went with Vern Bickford (4-1, 2.84) and the Dbacks went back to game 1 winner Brian Anderson (4-1, 2.98). Anderson, who was outstanding in the opener just didn't have it in this one. The Braves jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead and had Anderson on the ropes in the first. It started well when Sam Jethroe fanned to open the inning. It just went downhill from there when Roy Hartsfield and Sid Gordon singled. Mathews flew out to the warning track in right for the second out and everything seemed to look good for the Dbacks, but Earl Torgeson doubled down the righfield line to score both runners who were on the move with 2 outs. Thorpe singled home Torgeson and just like that the Dbacks were in a deep hole. Meanwhile Bickford was posting goose eggs for the first 4 innings. Then in the fifth Stinnett hit a solo shot to make it 3-1. Jay Bell walked with 1 out and Anderson bunted him over to second for Andy Fox, who hit a clutch 2 out double to make it 3-2. Lee walked and up came Matt Williams. This was the decisive moment in the game.
Bickford made the right pitch. Williams hit the ball hard, but Mathews was in the right spot to snare it and end the inning. That is why baseball is a game of inches. As is usually the case in this great game of baseball, the fielding star of the previous inning winds up the hitting star of the following frame. Mathews did just that when he doubled home Hartsfield with 2 outs to make it 4-2, which is all Bickford would need. Arizona would only get 2 more hits over the final 4 innings as Bickford shut the door on them and clinched the right to face the '57 Giants in the NLCS.
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