2001 National League Championship Series

The 2001 National League Championship Series saw the Arizona Diamondbacks defeat the Atlanta Braves in five games to win the National League pennant in only the franchise's fourth year of existence. The Diamondbacks would go on to defeat the New York Yankees in seven games to win the World Series.

The Diamondbacks won their division with a 92-70 record. The strength of their team was clearly the pitching duo of Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling. The primary weapon for Arizona on offense was Luis Gonzalez, who belted 57 home runs during the season. The Diamondbacks had outlasted the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS to reach their first NLCS.

The Atlanta Braves won their tenth straight division title, but it had not been by a wide margin in 2001. They struggled to an 88-74 record, their worst since 1990. Greg Maddux had another big season for the Braves, winning 17 games. Chipper Jones was the leader of the Atlanta offense, batting .330 during the season to go along with his 38 home runs. After their embarrassing defeat to the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2000 NLDS, the underdog Braves blitzed the Houston Astros in the 2001 NLDS, sweeping them in three games.

Managers: Bob Brenly (Arizona), Bobby Cox (Atlanta)

Umpires: Jerry Crawford, Jeff Kellogg, Angel Hernandez, Mike Reilly, Gerry Davis, Tim McClelland

Television: FOX (Thom Brennaman and Steve Lyons announcing)

Series MVP: Craig Counsell, Arizona

Matchup

Game 1

October 16: Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, Arizona

WP: Randy Johnson (1-0)  LP: Greg Maddux (0-1)  

The 2001 NLCS began with an excellent pitching matchup of multiple-Cy Young Award winners Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux. Reggie Sanders plated a run in the first with a single to give Arizona a 1-0 lead. Meanwhile, Johnson dominated the Braves lineup. The Diamondbacks went ahead 2-0 after Luis Gonzalez laced an RBI double in the fifth. Maddux would go seven innings, only surrendering two runs, but he would be clearly outdueled by Johnson, who pitched a complete game three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts.

Game 2

October 17: Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, Arizona

WP: Tom Glavine (1-0)  LP: Miguel Batista (0-1)  
HRs:  Atl – Marcus Giles (1), B.J. Surhoff (1), Javy Lopez (1)

The Braves responded to Johnson's dominating performance with one of their own from Tom Glavine. Marcus Giles led the game off with a solo home run for the Braves off of Miguel Batista. Glavine went seven innings, scattering five hits and giving up one run. The game was tied 1-1 going into the seventh, but Javy Lopez hit a two-run homer to make it 3-1 Braves. Atlanta scored five runs in the eighth to break the game open. Brian Jordan drove in two of the runs with a double and B.J. Surhoff had another Braves home run. The 8-1 win evened the series at a game apiece.

Game 3

October 19: Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia

WP: Curt Schilling (1-0)  LP: John Burkett (0-1)  

Curt Schilling, who earned an MVP award in the 1993 NLCS against the Braves, got the start in Game 3 in Atlanta. Braves starter John Burkett gave up two runs in the third when Steve Finley doubled. That would be all Schilling would need, as he, much like Johnson, controlled the Braves lineup. Atlanta got a run in the fourth, but a Chipper Jones error at third base helped Arizona score three more runs in the fifth and knock out Burkett. Ahead 5-1, Schilling cruised the rest of the way, tossing a complete game and striking out 12 men.

Game 4

October 20: Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia

WP: Brian Anderson (1-0)  LP: Greg Maddux (0-2)  
HRs:  Ari – Luis Gonzalez (1)  Atl – Andruw Jones (1)

Looking to tie the series, Bobby Cox started Greg Maddux on short rest. For two innings, the move appeared to work. The Braves took a 2-0 lead on Diamondback starter Albie Lopez with an RBI double by Chipper Jones and a solo homer by Andruw Jones. However, the wheels came off for Atlanta in the third when they committed three errors and Maddux gave up four hits. When the smoke cleared, it was 4-2 Arizona. Manager Bob Brenly went for the jugular in the fourth, pinch hitting for Lopez to lead off the inning. The Diamondbacks connected for three straight hits, the big blow coming when Craig Counsell hit a two-run double to left to make it 6-2. Brian Anderson, who picked up the win, pitched 3 1/3. In the ninth, Arizona piled it on, scoring four more unearned runs, three of them coming on a Luis Gonzalez homer. The win put Arizona firmly in control of the series, ahead three games to one with a rested Randy Johnson set to pitch.

Game 5

October 21: Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia

WP: Randy Johnson (2-0)  LP: Tom Glavine (1-1)  SV: Byung-Hyun Kim (1)  
HRs:  Ari – Erubiel Durazo (1)  Atl – Julio Franco (1)

Game 1 winner Randy Johnson and Game 2 winner Tom Glavine faced off as Arizona looked to advance to their first ever World Series appearance. Former Brave Danny Bautista broke a scoreless tie in the fourth by singling home Mark Grace. The Braves promply tied the game when veteran Julio Franco led off the fourth with a home run, the first run Johnson had allowed the whole series. However, Arizona answered right back in the top of the fifth when Erubiel Durazo hit a two-out two-run blast off of Glavine to make it 3-1 Diamonbacks. In the seventh, Franco added another RBI with a single that made it 3-2. But, Byung-Hyun Kim came into the game and kept the Braves from getting any closer. He pitched two scoreless innings and Arizona won its first National League pennant.

Quotes

• "In the air, left centerfield...and the Arizona Diamondbacks become the fastest expansion franchise to reach the World Series! In just their fourth year, they will move on the Fall Classic." - Thom Brennaman

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