Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame Newcomer John Smoltz Five Memorable Moment
By Jeff Schafer
Mar 12, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher
Scott Baker(27) throws a pitch during the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Game 5 of the 1996 World Series: Smoltz strikes out 10 hitters
With the 1996 World Series tied at 2-2, the Braves sent Smoltz to the mound and the New York Yankees pitched Andy Pettitte.
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Both pitchers threw a hell of a ball game on this night, but one team had to come out victorious. The game ended with both teams scoring a combined one run. That single run came in the top of the fourth inning.
Charlie Hayes hit a deep fly ball to centerfield. Braves centerfielder Marquis Grissom and right fielder Jermaine Dye were both going for the ball and they both distracted each other and the ball fell to the ground. This perhaps was the most costly error in World Series history since Bill Buckner missed a ground ball.
“I couldn’t hear him,” Grissom said after the game. “He couldn’t hear me. You couldn’t hear anything, the crowd was screaming so loud.”
After the error, Cecil Fielder then doubled in Hayes to score the only run of the game.
Smoltz pitched eight complete innings, allowing that unearned run, four hits, three walks and had 10 strikeouts. It was an outstanding performance by Smoltz, but he got the loss.
Braves went down 3-2 in the series and then lost game six to lose the World Series.
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