Atlanta Braves Replay: Takeaways from Game 2 of 1995 World Series

As we continue the Atlanta Braves 1995 World Series week, we focus on game two and give you some of our biggest takeaways from the game.

It’s been a fun first couple of days watching the Atlanta Braves in the 1995 World Series. I was seven at the time, so there obviously isn’t much that I remember from that series.

However, I’ve gone back and watched it a lot over the years (mostly game six), so I have a pretty good idea of how the series turns ou.

But it really has been fun seeing a lot of old players and just reliving how the series unfolded and  the pressure the Braves had on them at this point to get over the hump and finally win it all.

The newspaper clipping I have hanging up in my office at home reads “ATLAST” showing just how big it was Atlanta to finally finish it off after several trips to the World Series.

For the second straight game the Cleveland Indians jumped out to an early lead with 2 runs in the top of the second inning on a home run by Eddie Murray.

Tom Glavine would settle down and retire the next eight batters before running into trouble in the fourth and fifth innings.

He ultimately went six innings giving up  just the 2 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks with 3 strikeouts over 99 pitches, but it certainly wasn’t his best performance (that was still to come).

But something I always try to keep in mind about the Braves in the 90s, they were trying dominate with pitching and defense during a time when a lot of guys were juicing and hitting a lot of home runs (including some guys on the this Indians roster).

They talk about that a little during the broadcast (not the juicing part), but how the Braves pitchers were able to silence one of the best offenses in the game. And honestly, looking back at that Indians lineup, it may be one of the best offenses of all-time with Murray, Jim Thome, Albert Belle, Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga, and a young Manny Ramirez.

I mean, Thome is a Hall of Famer and he was batting seventh in Game Two … SEVENTH!

The Braves actually had a lot of chances to score in this game and really couldn’t capitalize. They left the bases loaded in the first inning.

In the third inning, they were able to push across a pair of runs to even the game after the first two guys reached, but it could have been a lot more witht he middle of the lineup coming to the plate.

They got a two-run home run from Javy Lopez in the sixth to take the lead, but later stranded a pair of runners in that inning.

Double-plays really hurt them as they had 8 hits and 3 walks off Dennis Martinez in 5.2 innings, but only managed to score 4 runs.

And it almost came back to bite them as the Indians pushed across a run in the seventh thanks to an error by the defensive replacement in left field, Mike Devereaux. But Greg McMichael was able to get Belle to pop up and strand the tying run at third.

The Indians got the tying run on base again in the eighth, but Alejandro Pena was able to pick-off Ramirez at first base.

And then after Pena walked Thome, Mark Wohlers came on to get the final four outs of the game. But that wasn’t without drama eight as he gave up a hit to Omar Vizquel who also stole second before being left stranded to end the game.

My biggest takeaway from Game Two was the mistakes from both teams and the missed opportunities for the Braves.

Each team made two errors in the game. One of which definitely helped the Indians score a run, and one possibly helped the Braves score a run. And then Manny getting picked off in the seventh was a huge mistake.

I’m not sure if it was jitters or the mounting pressure, but the Braves made four errors through the first two games of this series.

But nonetheless, they take a 2-0 series lead with a 4-3 win in Game Two. We’ll pick up the action with Game 3 tonight and give you our reactions in the morning. Let us know your memories from these games in the comments below.