There have been some wild games in Atlanta over the years and the Braves’ 11-inning, 15-13 victory Wednesday ranks among them. Here is a sampling of some of those unforgettable moments since the Braves moved to Atlanta for the 1966 season.
Chipper caps comeback
May 2, 2012 (Turner Field)
Braves 15, Phillies 13
What happened: Chipper Jones hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning, the final of several dramatic moments. The Brave trailed 6-0 against Phillies ace Roy Halladay before erasing the deficit with a fifth-inning grand slam by Brian McCann. The Braves also trailed 12-8 in the eighth inning and let a one-run lead in the ninth slip away before Jones’ final blow.
Braves walk off with Conrad
May 20, 2010 (Turner Field)
Braves 10, Reds 9
What happened: Pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad hit a one-out walk-off grand slam to cap a seven-run ninth-inning rally. It was the largest comeback in franchise history. The homer was only the 23rd time in baseball history that a walk-off grand slam overcame a three-run deficit, the second time it was done by a pinch-hitter.
Braves pull a near all-nighter
July 4-5, 1985 (Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium)
Mets 16, Braves 13
What happened: Braves relief pitcher Rick Camp hit a home run, the only of his career, in the 18th inning to tie an epic game with the Mets at 11-11. The Mets would win the game in the 19th inning. The game ended at almost 4 a.m. and a scheduled fireworks show followed, much to the dismay of area residents.
Sid’s slide
Oct. 14, 1992 (Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium)
Braves 3, Pirates 2
What happened: The Braves won Game 7 of the National League Championship Series when Francisco Cabrera hit a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth, scoring David Justice and Sid Bream. The winning run crossed on Bream’s famous slide. It marked the first time in MLB history that a team was one out away from losing in a winner-take-all game of a playoff series but won on the last pitch.
The phantom tag
July 26, 2011 (Turner Field)
Braves 4, Pirates 3
What happened: Julio Lugo slid home with the winning run in the bottom of the 19th inning at 1:50 a.m. — capping a 6-hour, 39-minute game. It is the longest game in Turner Field history. Replays appeared to show that Lugo was tagged out at the plate, but was called safe by umpire Jerry Meals, who later admitted he may have missed the call.
Honorable mention
- David Justice hits two-run homer off Rob Dibble of the Cincinnati Reds (Oct. 1, 1991)
- Braves' brawl game with San Diego Padres (Aug. 12, 1984)
- Press-box fire at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium (July 20, 1993)
- Ted Turner manages for one game (May 11, 1977)
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