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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Braves Rush Into Series With Sweep Complete First National League Sweep Since 1982; Await Seattle Or Cleveland

Associated Press

The Atlanta Braves never looked so good and never had it so easy. This trip to the World Series was a cinch, not a struggle.

The Braves advanced by beating the uninspired Cincinnati Reds 6-0 Saturday night, completing the first sweep in the National League Championship Series since 1982.

This will be the Braves’ third trip to the series in five years, and they’re going back with a team that doesn’t appear to have a weakness.

With strong pitching and key hits, including three-run homers in three straight games, the Braves made it look easy against the Reds.

“Well, there’s nothing better than winning. And a sweep - I don’t think either team anticipated that. We got timely hitting each game and the Reds didn’t,” manager Bobby Cox said.

Atlanta got a three-run homer from MVP Mike Devereaux and a combined three-hitter from four pitchers to finish the best-of-seven series in four straight.

It wasn’t always so easy.

The Braves reached the World Series in 1991 and 1992, but needed seven games to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Now they have six days off before the series opens here next Saturday night against Cleveland or Seattle.

“It’s a long period of time to be off. We might bring in some guys from our instructional league team to play some intrasquad games,” Cox said.

Now they’ll try to do what they couldn’t in 1991 against Minnesota and in 1992 against Toronto - win it.

One big change this time will be the presence of Greg Maddux, certain to win his fourth straight Cy Young Award. With Maddux, Steve Avery, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine, the Braves’ staff is widely acclaimed as the best in baseball.

Aside from starting pitcher Pete Schourek, the Reds didn’t put up much of a fight in their last game under manager Davey Johnson, who will be replaced by Ray Knight next season. Cincinnati struck out 10 more times and hit into another three double plays.

“That’s just a fine ballclub they have over there. Their pitching was outstanding. We scored only five runs in four games, and it’s remarkable they could do that to an offense like ours,” Johnson said.

Perhaps it’s because this Braves team is considered the best of the ‘90s.

Atlanta trailed only once in the four games, won twice in its last at-bat and outscored Cincinnati 19-5. The Reds hit just .103 with runners in scoring position.

“The Reds swept the Dodgers in three games in the first round, and they expected to beat us. But we played great, our pitchers were on and when that happens, its’s hard to lose,” Cox said.

The only hits starter Avery allowed were a line single to right in the second by Benito Santiago and a grounder to shortstop that Barry Larkin beat out in the sixth.

Atlanta got its first run in the third when Rafael Belliard led off with a single up the middle, Avery moved him to second with a line drive off Schourek’s left wrist and Mark Lemke hit a two-out RBI single to left.

The Braves loaded the bases with one out in the fifth and failed to score, but broke open the game in the seventh when Marquis Grissom led off with a triple and scored on a passed ball. After a pair of walks by Mike Jackson, Devereaux hit a three-run homer to left - the Braves’ third three-run shot of the series.

Luis Polonia added a pinch RBI single down the third-base line later in the seventh for a 6-0 lead. Atlanta sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning.

The fans responded with the loudest chant of the series, yelling “Sweep, Sweep!,” while doing their familiar tomahawk chop.

“Playing in the playoffs and World Series is a personal dream, and getting the MVP is far past that,” said Devereax, who was acquired from the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 25 to give the Braves a deeper bench and a DH if they made it to the World Series.

When the game ended, the Braves stood in a circle near second base high-fiving each other, then headed for the clubhouse for a champagne-spraying celebration.

“It’s been four years (of postseason play) for me; it’s ridiculous how lucky I am,” said Avery.

Avery struck out six in six innings, walked three, and after inducing only six double-play grounders all season, got three in the decisive game.

The Reds didn’t hit a homer in any of the games, the first time all year they’ve gone four in a row without one.