2002 National League Division Series
The 2002 National League Division Series (NLDS), the opening round of the 2002 National League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 1, and ended on Monday, October 7, with the champions of the three NL divisions—along with a "wild card" team—participating in two best-of-five series. The teams were:
- (1) Atlanta Braves (Eastern Division champion, 101–59) vs. (4) San Francisco Giants (Wild Card, 95–66); Giants win series, 3–2.
- (2) Arizona Diamondbacks (Western Division champion, 98–64) vs. (3) St. Louis Cardinals (Central Division champion, 97–65); Cardinals win series, 3–0.
The higher seed (in parentheses) had the home field advantage (Games 1, 2 and 5 at home), which was determined by playing record.
The Cardinals and Giants went on to meet in the NL Championship Series (NLCS). The Giants became the National League champion, and lost to the American League champion Anaheim Angels in the 2002 World Series.
Matchups
Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants
San Francisco won the series, 3–2.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 2 | San Francisco Giants – 8, Atlanta Braves – 5 | Turner Field | 3:24 | 41,903[1] |
2 | October 3 | San Francisco Giants – 3, Atlanta Braves – 7 | Turner Field | 2:58 | 47,167[2] |
3 | October 5 | Atlanta Braves – 10, San Francisco Giants – 2 | Pacific Bell Park | 3:23 | 43,043[3] |
4 | October 6 | Atlanta Braves – 3, San Francisco Giants – 8 | Pacific Bell Park | 3:03 | 43,070[4] |
5 | October 7 | San Francisco Giants – 3, Atlanta Braves – 1 | Turner Field | 3:47 | 45,203[5] |
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis won the series, 3–0.
Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | October 1 | St. Louis Cardinals – 12, Arizona Diamondbacks – 2 | Bank One Ballpark | 2:55 | 49,154[6] |
2 | October 3 | St. Louis Cardinals – 2, Arizona Diamondbacks – 1 | Bank One Ballpark | 3:20 | 48,856[7] |
3 | October 5 | Arizona Diamondbacks – 3, St. Louis Cardinals – 6 | Busch Stadium (II) | 3:14 | 52,189[8] |
Atlanta vs. San Francisco
The Atlanta Braves had won their eleventh straight division title. The San Francisco Giants were making their third appearance in the postseason since 1997. Barry Bonds was also looking for a little revenge because he was the left fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates when they lost to the Braves in two straight NLCS appearances.
Game 1, October 2
Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
San Francisco | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 2 | |||||||||||
Atlanta | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 | |||||||||||
WP: Russ Ortiz (1–0) LP: Tom Glavine (0–1) Sv: Robb Nen (1) Home runs: SF: None ATL: Gary Sheffield (1), Javy López (1) |
In Game 1, Russ Ortiz faced Tom Glavine. In the top of the second, J.T. Snow hit a two-run double, then David Bell singled Snow home to make it 3–0 Giants. But Glavine would help his own cause by hitting a two-run single to left field that almost tied the game thanks to an error by Bonds in the bottom half of the second. But a three-run inning, capped by Rich Aurilia's two-run double, seemed to silence the Braves as the Giants took a commanding 6–2 lead in the fourth. Glavine would leave after five innings and Benito Santiago would add insult to injury by doubling in two more runs in the sixth. But with one out in the eighth, the Braves put together a mini rally that started with Gary Sheffield's solo homer. With one on and one out, Santigo dropped a foul fly ball hit by Javy López. He would then homer to put the Braves back in the game. In the ninth the Braves put the tying run at the plate for Sheffield. Sheffield hit into a game-ending double play.
Game 2, October 3
Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
San Francisco | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 0 | |||||||||||
Atlanta | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 7 | 8 | 0 | |||||||||||
WP: Kevin Millwood (1–0) LP: Kirk Rueter (0–1) Home runs: SF: J.T. Snow (1), Rich Aurilia (1), Barry Bonds (1) ATL: Javy López (2), Vinny Castilla (1) |
In Game 2, Kirk Rueter faced Kevin Millwood, who was looking to keep the Braves' hopes alive in the series. The Braves would strike first on Chipper Jones's RBI single in the first. But Snow homered to tie the game in the top of the second. Back-to-back homers by Lopez and Vinny Castilla made it 3–1 Braves in the bottom half. Then Rafael Furcal's RBI single later in the inning made it 4–1. Mark DeRosa put the game away when he tripled in two runs and then scored on a passed ball. All the Giants would get in the game would be solo homers as the Braves evened the series with a 7–3 win.
Game 3, October 5
Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco, California
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Atlanta | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 0 | |||||||||||
San Francisco | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | |||||||||||
WP: Greg Maddux (1–0) LP: Jason Schmidt (0–1) Home runs: ATL: Keith Lockhart (1) SF: Barry Bonds (2) |
In Game 3, Greg Maddux faced Jason Schmidt. In the bottom of the first, Jeff Kent doubled in the first run of the game to give the Giants the lead. Then an RBI groundout by Julio Franco tied the game in the third. The game remained close until the sixth. With one out, three consecutive walks ended Schmidt's night. Then Vinny Castilla would single in two runs. Keith Lockhart would follow with a towering three-run homer to make it 6–1 Braves. Bonds' homer in the bottom half made it 6–2. But the ninth saw the Braves add insurance. They would score four more runs to take a 10–2 lead. That score would stand as the Braves took a 2–1 lead in the series.
Game 4, October 6
Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco, California
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Atlanta | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 0 | |||||||||||
San Francisco | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 8 | 11 | 0 | |||||||||||
WP: Liván Hernández (1–0) LP: Tom Glavine (0–2) Home runs: ATL: None SF: Rich Aurilia (2) |
In Game 4, Glavine would be sent to the mound once again, this time facing Liván Hernández. Glavine's struggles would continue, as he allowed two runs in the first on a sac fly and a groundout. Then two more runs, one of them a bases-loaded walk, made it 4–0. Then Rich Aurilia's three-run homer made it 7–0 in the third. Glavine allowed seven earned runs in 2 2⁄3 innings. The Braves would hardly come close to winning. They would score three runs in the game as the Giants sent the series back to Atlanta.
Game 5, October 7
Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
San Francisco | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2 | |||||||||||
Atlanta | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | |||||||||||
WP: Russ Ortiz (2–0) LP: Kevin Millwood (1–1) Sv: Robb Nen (2) Home runs: SF: Barry Bonds (3) ATL: None |
In the clinching Game 5, Russ Ortiz returned to the mound to face Kevin Millwood. Reggie Sanders's RBI single in the second made it 1–0 Giants. Then Bonds would homer to make it 2–0 in the fourth. Mark DeRosa's RBI single made it 2–1 in the sixth. But the Braves would squander the chances to bring DeRosa in. The Braves left twelve men on base in Game 5. In the ninth, with the Braves trailing 3–1, Gary Sheffield came to the plate with two men on, representing the Division Series-winning run. Had he homered the series would have been over, but he struck out and Chipper Jones grounded out into a double play to end the series. This would begin the Braves' streak of four consecutive NLDS losses.
Composite box
2002 NLDS (3–2): San Francisco Giants over Atlanta Braves
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
San Francisco Giants | 3 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 41 | 4 | |||||||||||
Atlanta Braves | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 26 | 44 | 0 | |||||||||||
Total attendance: 220,386 Average attendance: 44,077 |
Arizona vs. St. Louis
The Arizona Diamondbacks won the West for the second straight year, having a better team than the previous year when they won the 2001 World Series. The St. Louis Cardinals were making their third straight postseason appearance. Having swept the defending NL Champions in the 2000 National League Division Series, they had a chance to sweep the defending World Champions in 2002.
Game 1, October 1
Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, Arizona
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
St. Louis | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 14 | 1 | |||||||||||
Arizona | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 2 | |||||||||||
WP: Matt Morris (1–0) LP: Randy Johnson (0–1) Home runs: STL: Jim Edmonds (1), Scott Rolen (1) ARI: None |
In Game 1, Matt Morris faced eventual 2002 Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson, who dominated the 2001 postseason with ease. But in the top of the first an error by Tony Womack put a runner on for Jim Edmonds, who then hit a home run to make it 2–0 Cardinals. But the Diamondbacks scratched out a run in the bottom half thanks to Steve Finley's sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the third, Quinton McCracken tied the game with an RBI single. In the fourth, the floodgates began to open as Albert Pujols led off the inning with a triple and Scott Rolen followed with a two-run homer. Then Edgar Rentería's RBI single later in the inning made it 5–2 Cards. In the top of the seventh with the score now 6–2, walks and errors by the D'Backs allowed six runs to score. The game was now out of reach as the Cardinals routed the defending champs 12–2.
Game 2, October 3
Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, Arizona
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
St. Louis | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 1 | |||||||||||
Arizona | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | |||||||||||
WP: Jeff Fassero (1–0) LP: Mike Koplove (0–1) Sv: Jason Isringhausen (1) Home runs: STL: J.D. Drew (1) ARI: None |
In Game 2, Chuck Finley faced Curt Schilling. J. D. Drew got the scoring started with a solo homer in the third to put the Cardinals up 1–0. Finley and Schilling dueled until Finley left with a cramp in his pitching hand. When Albert Pujols moved from left field in the eighth, he immediately created trouble by misplaying a ball hit by Greg Colbrunn. Then McCracken would make him pay by tying the game with a double. The Cardinals would regain the lead in the top of the ninth, however, thanks to a Miguel Cairo RBI single. Jason Isringhausen would shut the D'Backs down 1–2–3 in the bottom of the inning for the save, giving the Cardinals a 2–0 lead in the series. Jeff Fassero would get the win in relief and Mike Koplove took the loss for Arizona.
Game 3, October 5
Busch Stadium (II) in St. Louis, Missouri
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arizona | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | |||||||||||
St. Louis | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | X | 6 | 9 | 0 | |||||||||||
WP: Jeff Fassero (2–0) LP: Miguel Batista (0–1) Sv: Jason Isringhausen (2) Home runs: ARI: David Dellucci (1), Rod Barajas (1) STL: None |
Only one team had come back after being down 2–0 going on the road, and that team was the same team Arizona had beaten to win the World Series the year before: the 2001 New York Yankees. So the task was now daunting. Things certainly looked good for the Diamondbacks in the top of the second against Game 3 starter Andy Benes when David Dellucci homered to put the D'Backs up 2–0. But against Miguel Batista, the Cardinals struck back when Cairo drove in a run in the bottom half of the inning. Then Pujols would tie the game with an RBI single in the third. A squeeze play gave the Cardinals the lead in the fourth. Then they added a run later in the inning to make it 4–2. But Rod Barajas homered to make it a one-run game in the fifth. The game remained close until the bottom of the eighth when the Cardinals added two insurance runs to make it 6–3. Isringhausen got the series winning save by once again shutting down the Diamondbacks 1–2–3 in the ninth. Dellucci would ground out to end the series.
Composite box
2002 NLDS (3–0): St. Louis Cardinals over Arizona Diamondbacks
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
St. Louis Cardinals | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 20 | 33 | 2 | |||||||||||
Arizona Diamondbacks | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 2 | |||||||||||
Total attendance: 150,199 Average attendance: 50,066 |
Notes
- ↑ "2002 NLDS - San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ↑ "2002 NLDS - San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves - Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ↑ "2002 NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants - Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ↑ "2002 NLDS - Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants - Game 4". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ↑ "2002 NLDS - San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves - Game 5". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ↑ "2002 NLDS - St. Louis Cardinals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks - Game 1". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ↑ "2002 NLDS - St. Louis Cardinals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks - Game 2". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
- ↑ "2002 NLDS - Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals - Game 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved September 13, 2009.