1997 National League Division Series

The 1997 National League Division Series (NLDS), the opening round of the 1997 National League playoffs, began on Tuesday, September 30, and ended on Friday, October 3, with the champions of the three NL divisions—along with a "wild card" team—participating in two best-of-five series. They were:

1997 National League Division Series
Teams
Team (Wins) Manager Season
Florida Marlins (3) Jim Leyland 92–70, .568, GB: 9
San Francisco Giants (0) Dusty Baker 90–72, .556, GA: 2
DatesSeptember 30 – October 3
TelevisionESPN (Games 1–2)
NBC (Game 3)
TV announcersChris Berman and Ray Knight (Games 1–2)
Bob Costas, Joe Morgan and Bob Uecker (Game 3)
RadioCBS
Radio announcersJerry Coleman and Hank Greenwald
Teams
Team (Wins) Manager Season
Atlanta Braves (3) Bobby Cox 101–61, .623, GA: 9
Houston Astros (0) Larry Dierker 84–78, .519, GA: 5
DatesSeptember 30 – October 3
TelevisionESPN
TV announcersJon Miller and Joe Morgan (Game 1)
Jon Miller and Reggie Jackson (Games 2–3)
RadioCBS
Radio announcersGene Elston and Gary Cohen
UmpiresMark Hirschbeck, Gary Darling, Tom Hallion, Dana DeMuth, Terry Tata, Brian Gorman (Giants–Marlins, Games 1–2; Astros–Braves, Game 3)
Greg Bonin, Ed Rapuano, Charlie Reliford, Steve Rippley, Harry Wendelstedt, Angel Hernandez (Astros–Braves, Games 1–2; Giants–Marlins, Game 3)

The Atlanta Braves and Florida Marlins went on to meet in the NL Championship Series (NLCS). The Marlins became the National League champions, and defeated the American League champion Cleveland Indians in the 1997 World Series.

Matchups

San Francisco Giants vs. Florida Marlins

Florida won the series, 3–0.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1September 30San Francisco Giants – 1, Florida Marlins – 2Pro Player Stadium2:4842,167[2] 
2October 1San Francisco Giants – 6, Florida Marlins – 7Pro Player Stadium3:1241,283[3] 
3October 3Florida Marlins – 6, San Francisco Giants – 23Com Park at Candlestick Point3:2257,188[4]

Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves

Atlanta won the series, 3–0.

GameDateScoreLocationTimeAttendance 
1September 30Houston Astros – 1, Atlanta Braves – 2Turner Field2:1546,467[5] 
2October 1Houston Astros – 3, Atlanta Braves – 13Turner Field3:0649,200[6] 
3October 3Atlanta Braves – 4, Houston Astros – 1Astrodome2:3553,688[7]

San Francisco vs. Florida

The San Francisco Giants made it back to the postseason for the first time since the 1989 World Series. The Florida Marlins were in the postseason for the first time ever.

Game 1, September 30

Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida

Team123456789RHE
San Francisco000000100140
Florida000000101270
WP: Dennis Cook (1–0)   LP: Julián Tavárez (0–1)
Home runs:
SF: Bill Mueller (1)
FLA: Charles Johnson (1)

Game 1 was a matchup between Kirk Rueter and Kevin Brown. Both pitchers were on even terms, allowing one run and four hits through seven innings. Both teams struck in the seventh with leadoff homers by Bill Mueller and Charles Johnson. The game was tied 1–1 in the bottom of the ninth inning With the bases loaded, Édgar Rentería singled to right to give the Marlins their first ever postseason win with a walk-off.

Game 2, October 1

Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida

Team123456789RHE
San Francisco1111001016110
Florida2012010017102
WP: Robb Nen (1–0)   LP: Roberto Hernández (0–1)
Home runs:
SF: Brian Johnson (1)
FLA: Bobby Bonilla (1), Gary Sheffield (1)

Shawn Estes faced Al Leiter in an exciting Game 2. An RBI single by Mark Lewis made it 1–0 Giants in the first. The Marlins would strike back in the bottom half. Bobby Bonilla hit a two-run homer to make it 2–1 Marlins, but a homer by Brian Johnson tied the game in the second. Then Barry Bonds hit a sacrifice fly to give the Giants a 3–2 lead in the third. The Marlins tied it in the bottom half with an RBI single by Bonilla. Stan Javier's infield hit gave the Giants the lead back in the fourth. Hits by Alex Arias and Kurt Abbott gave the Marlins the lead in the bottom half. The Marlins would add another run on a homer by Gary Sheffield in the bottom of the sixth. It was 6–4, but the Giants refused to concede. An RBI double by Bonds made it a one-run game in the seventh. The one-run lead would stand into the ninth. With Robb Nen pitching, the Giants managed to tie the game thanks to a key error by Craig Counsell. However, the Marlins would not wait until extra innings to try to win. Sheffield led the inning off with a single; then he stole second. After Bonilla walked, Moisés Alou hit the game-winning single to center field. The ball was scooped up by Dante Powell, whose throw home was in line with home plate, but the ball hit the mound, allowing Sheffield to score easily. This play would be the defining moment of the series, being replayed many times on highlights, as well as mainstream shows such as Live with Regis and Kathie Lee. The Marlins took the series lead, 2–0.

Game 3, October 3

3Com Park at Candlestick Point in San Francisco, California

Team123456789RHE
Florida0000040206102
San Francisco000101000270
WP: Alex Fernandez (1–0)   LP: Wilson Álvarez (0–1)
Home runs:
FLA: Devon White (1)
SF: Jeff Kent 2 (2)

In Game 3, the Giants looked to Wilson Álvarez to keep them alive. Opposing him would be Alex Fernandez, hoping to close out the series. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth, when Jeff Kent hit a home run with one out to make it 1–0 Giants. Later, however, the Marlins would put the series away when Devon White hit a stunning grand slam into the left field bleachers in the top of the sixth. Kent would hit another home run in the bottom half, but two RBI doubles by Charles Johnson and Craig Counsell put any hopes of a Giants comeback out of reach. Robb Nen got Damon Berryhill to ground out to end the series. In response to their team being swept, Giants fans littered the field with garbage as the Marlins players celebrated. This was the final MLB playoff game at Candlestick Park. Until 2016, this was the last time the Giants lost a postseason series at home. In their next 7 appearances, including the wildcard tiebreaker in 1998, they either lost the series on the road or won the World Series until finally losing at home in the 2016 NLDS. As of the 2016 season, this series is the last time the Giants were swept in the postseason.

Composite box

1997 NLDS (3–0): Florida Marlins over San Francisco Giants

Team123456789RHE
Florida Marlins20120512215274
San Francisco Giants1112012019220
Total attendance: 140,638   Average attendance: 46,879

Houston vs. Atlanta

The Houston Astros finally made it back to the postseason for the first time since the 1986 National League Championship Series. The Atlanta Braves were hosting their first postseason series at Turner Field.

Game 1, September 30

Turner Field in Atlanta

Team123456789RHE
Houston000010000171
Atlanta11000000X220
WP: Greg Maddux (1–0)   LP: Darryl Kile (0–1)
Home runs:
HOU: None
ATL: Ryan Klesko (1)

Game 1 was a matchup between Darryl Kile and Greg Maddux. Kenny Lofton led off the bottom of the first with a double, the first postseason hit at Turner Field. Keith Lockhart flied to right, putting Lofton at third. Then Chipper Jones hit a sacrifice fly to left field to make it 1–0 Braves in the first. Then Ryan Klesko homered to lead off the second, a homer which would prove to be the game winner. The Astros would strike for a run in the fifth, thanks to an RBI single by Kile. Maddux and Kile dueled for seven innings. Kile allowed only two hits and Maddux pitched a complete game. The Astros left five men on base, a fatal error, as the Braves won 2–1.

Game 2, October 1

Turner Field in Atlanta

Team123456789RHE
Houston000300000362
Atlanta00303502X13101
WP: Tom Glavine (1–0)   LP: Mike Hampton (0–1)
Home runs:
HOU: None
ATL: Jeff Blauser (1)

The Astros sent Mike Hampton to the mound against Tom Glavine. The game was quiet through the first ​2 1⁄2 innings, but, in the bottom of the third, Jeff Blauser hit a three-run homer to put the Braves ahead. The Astros, however, would tie the game thanks to a two-run double by Brad Ausmus and an RBI single by Mike Hampton that scored Ausmus. The Astros would make a game of it, but only for the moment. With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Hampton would surrender four consecutive walks to give the Braves the lead. Hampton would leave, but Mike Magnante gave up two more runs thanks to a two-run single by Greg Colbrunn. Next inning, Magnante allowed three singles, the last of which to Fred McGriff scoring a run. Ramon Garcia walked Javy Lopez to load the bases before first baseman Jeff Bagwell's error on Andruw Jones's ground ball allowed two runs to score and put runners on second and third. Danny Bautista's two-run single extended the Braves' lead to 11–3. In the eighth, Lopez's two-run double off of Billy Wagner made it 13–3 Braves. Glavine pitched six innings for the win while Mike Cather and Mark Wohlers pitched three scoreless innings of relief to give the Braves a 2–0 series lead.

Game 3, October 3

Astrodome in Houston, Texas

Team123456789RHE
Atlanta110000110482
Houston000000100131
WP: John Smoltz (1–0)   LP: Shane Reynolds (0–1)
Home runs:
ATL: Chipper Jones (1)
HOU: Chuck Carr (1)

Game 3 was a battle between John Smoltz and Shane Reynolds. Chipper Jones got the Braves started with a two-out homer in the top of the first. An RBI single by Jeff Blauser made it 2–0 in the second, and another RBI single, by Michael Tucker, made it 3–0 in the seventh. John Smoltz pitched brilliantly, allowing only three hits and one run, a homer by Chuck Carr, in a complete-game victory. A passed ball allowed one final insurance run to make it 4–1 Braves in the eighth. Bill Spiers grounded out in the bottom of the ninth to end the series.

Composite box

1997 NLDS (3–0): Atlanta Braves over Houston Astros

Team123456789RHE
Atlanta Braves22303513019203
Houston Astros0003101005164
Total attendance: 149,355   Average attendance: 49,785

Series quotes

Their first ever postseason game is a scintillating one, as they win it in the bottom of the ninth two to one!

— Chris Berman, calling the game-winning hit by Édgar Rentería in Game 1, Florida vs. San Francisco

Here comes the runner home, oh, it hits the mound, the Marlins win! [Gary] Sheffield scores!!!

— Chris Berman, calling the game-winning hit by Moisés Alou and the throw that could have gotten Gary Sheffield out in Game 2, Florida vs. San Francisco

In the air to left, [Barry] Bonds goes back, Bonds to the track, this ball is a grand slam home run!

— Bob Costas, calling Devon White's dramatic grand slam in Game 3, Florida vs. San Francisco

And this could do it...[Craig] Counsell...throws him out! The Marlins sweep and the Braves are next!

— Bob Costas, calling the final out in Game 3, Florida vs. San Francisco

Notes
  1. The higher seed (in parentheses) had the home field advantage, which was not tied to playing record but was predetermined—a highly unpopular arrangement which was discontinued after the conclusion of the 1997 playoffs. Also, the team with home field "advantage" was required to play the first two games on the road, with potentially the last three at home, in order to reduce travel. Had the 1997 NLDS been played under the 1998-2011 arrangement, then Atlanta (1) would still have faced off against Houston (3) and San Francisco (2) would likewise have faced off against the wild card winners in Florida (4). Under the format adopted in 2012, which removed the prohibition against teams from the same division meeting in the Division Series, the matchups instead would have been Atlanta-Florida and San Francisco-Houston, with the Braves and Giants having home field advantage.
  2. "1997 NLDS – San Francisco Giants vs. Florida Marlins – Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  3. "1997 NLDS – San Francisco Giants vs. Florida Marlins – Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  4. "1997 NLDS – Florida Marlins vs. San Francisco Giants – Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  5. "1997 NLDS – Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves – Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  6. "1997 NLDS – Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves – Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
  7. "1997 NLDS – Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros – Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
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