House That Hank Built
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Atlanta Braves post-season history: why Sam Holbrook is a villain

By Alan Carpenter

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 5: Manager Fredi Gonzalez #33 of the Atlanta Braves disputes an infield fly ruling with umpires against the St. Louis Cardinals during the National League Wild Card Game at Turner Field on October 5, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 5: Manager Fredi Gonzalez #33 of the Atlanta Braves disputes an infield fly ruling with umpires against the St. Louis Cardinals during the National League Wild Card Game at Turner Field on October 5, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 5: Fans of the Atlanta Braves show their support against the St. Louis Cardinals during the National League Wild Card Game at Turner Field on October 5, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 5: Fans of the Atlanta Braves show their support against the St. Louis Cardinals during the National League Wild Card Game at Turner Field on October 5, 2012 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

We really can’t say that this incident was the most egregious sin against the Braves in post-season history… but it was really close.

It happened seven years ago this week.  For many Atlanta Braves fans, it’s laser-etched into their neurons.  For some others, the details might be a little fuzzy – after all, an instantaneous event like this can be hard to process… which was certainly seemed the case for the umpire involved.

For these reasons and for newer fans that might not be up on the details, let’s review that fateful night in 2012 in which the Atlanta Braves – and a strong majority of the fans in the stadium – went utterly apoplectic.

A Do or Die Game

October 5, 2012.  The NL Wild Card game.  The Braves came in as favorites – the home team and winners of 94 games during the regular season.  The Cardinals sneaked in over the Dodgers with an 88-74 record.

Atlanta went with Kris Medlen in this game over Tim Hudson:  10-1 with a 1.57 ERA in just 12 starts that year, which included 2 complete games.

This was his first Summer back into action after his first Tommy John reconstruction in 2011, and he had (obviously) been pitching much better than expected.

The Braves lineup started like this:

Yep – that’s a 90+ win offense.

The Braves got the scoring started in the 2nd inning thanks to a David Ross home run that followed a Dan Uggla walk.  2-0 for the home team.

Medlen started off very well:  2 strikeouts in the 1st with a hit batsman harmlessly ignored as a groundout finished the frame.

In the 2nd and 3rd innings:  6 up, 6 down.

In the 4th, the Braves train edged off the tracks a bit as the Cardinals broke through:

  • single
  • throwing error on Chipper as he tried to turn a grounder into a double play.  Instead of 2 outs and nobody on, the Cards now had a 1st-and-3rd situation with none out.
  • a double scored Carlos Beltran; a groundout scored Matt Holliday
  • a sacrifice fly plated Allen Craig.

3-2 Cardinals, though you could argue Medlen deserved a better fate.

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