A good Braves trivia question whose answer escapes many is who was the runner who scored before Sid Bream made his famous ninth inning, two-out slide to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1992 National League Championship Series?
“Yes, some 24 years later I can play every moment of that play in my mind,’’ said David Justice, who crossed the plate to tie the score at 2-2. “I will never forget it and will never forget every second and what happened.’’
Let’s set the scene: The series tied at three games apiece at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium for the dramatic Game 7, the Braves were down 2-0 going into the ninth inning with Pirates starter Doug Drabek on the mound and still dominating. The inning started with Terry Pendleton doubling to right and Justice getting on base on an error by second baseman Jose Lind. Bream walked and the Pirates brought in Stan Belinda to relieve Drabek.
Ron Gant drove a ball deep to left that at first looked like it may be going out, but Barry Bonds caught it and Pendleton scored on the sacrifice fly. Belinda then made the mistake of walking Damon Berryhill and the bases were loaded. But Belinda got the second out on Brian Hunter’s fly out to second base. One chance left and up to the plate stepped pinch hitter Francisco Cabrera.
Justice takes it from here.
“Jimy Williams was the third-base coach, and he was in my ear the whole play,’’ Justice said. “‘Be ready. Be ready. Be ready.’ Francisco drives the ball into left and I ran home and when I got to the plate I turned around and thought Sid would score easily. I thought we were going to win, no problem. But I saw Bonds come up with the ball and Sid rounding third and went into a panic. I signaled for Sid to slide and he was definitely safe, but if that ball was one more foot to the inside where the catcher (Mike LaValliere) doesn’t have to go out to get it and then swing around, he would have been out. But yes, he was safe, and all I remember after that was things went crazy.’’
In many of the photographs taken right after the slide, Justice can be seen with arms around Bream, the two on the ground right before the dog pile began on top of them.
“It’s hard to even explain that exact moment,’’ Justice said. “It’s something that I don’t think anyone involved or anyone that saw it will ever forget.’’
Credit: FRANK NIEMEIR
Credit: FRANK NIEMEIR
Credit: Rusty Kennedy
Credit: Rusty Kennedy
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