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Top Five Atlanta Braves Comebacks #2: Conrad’s Slam Walks Off the Reds

Our series of great Atlanta Braves comebacks returns to more modern times for this installment. In fact, this writer would posit that this particular bit of Atlanta Braves comebacks lore is one of the more well-known in franchise history, and not just for the comeback. Rather, it was the masterful methods that the team used and the underdog hero that are remembered. Timely hitting, a dash of clutch pitching, and a bit of help from the mythological baseball gods all worked in tandem to create something special. The people involved may not have been perennial headliners. However, in this case, they definitely pulled off something worth a front-page mention.

The Braves, in this story, squared off with the Cincinnati Reds on a mild spring day at Turner Field in Atlanta. Once again, a regular season game that should have been typical turned into something incredible. That’s just how it works with these Atlanta Braves comebacks. There may not be much in the way of pizzazz, but the team always manages to get the job done. This story has a bit more of the aforementioned drama, yet it still feels like a regular comeback tale. That may be what makes it so timeless. Here we are, 13 years later, still speaking of it and treating it as the legend that it is. That said, all legends have a beginning. Here is this particular legend’s start.

Top Five Atlanta Braves Comebacks: #2

May 20, 2010 vs. Cincinnati Reds

2010 Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds entered the 2010 campaign on a rather serious mission. They had not made the playoffs since 1995 (when, coincidentally, they were swept by the Braves). Their fanbase, undoubtedly, sought a fairly rapid solution to this problem. Not only would they receive one, but it came in the form of a division championship. Driven by the best statistical offense in the league, the Reds pressed their way to a 91-71 record. They hit .272 as a team, with 188 home runs, 1,515 hits, a .436 slugging percentage, and a .774 OPS. All were tops in the National League. Individually, they were led by league MVP Joey Votto, who hit .324 with 37 homers and 113 RBI. Elsewhere, Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs, and Scott Rolen had 20+ homer campaigns. Brandon Phillips and Ramon Hernandez also contributed to the offensive attack.

It’s fortunate for the Reds that they had such an impressive offense because their pitching was middle of the road. Staff ace Bronson Arroyo won 17 games with a 3.88 ERA and Johnny Cueto posted 12 victories. Other than that, the team was average at best. Mike Leake, Aaron Harang, Homer Bailey, and Travis Wood combined for just 23 wins. In the bullpen, Arthur Rhodes was at the top of the proverbial heap with a 2.29 ERA and a 179 ERA+. Closer Francisco Cordero saved 40 games, but an ERA near four and five losses were each a cause for concern. Other players like Nick Masset and Logan Ondrusek were average at best. All told, the Reds’ pitching staff had an ERA+ of 102, just a smidge over the league’s median.

2010 Atlanta Braves

On the other side of the diamond, the 2010 Braves were attempting to make their first postseason appearance since 2005. They would succeed in this endeavor, finishing with the same record as the Reds. Unfortunately, their 91-71 mark was not enough to garner a division title. It was enough to clinch the Wild Card and get them an NLDS berth. While they didn’t win that series, it did kick off a four-year period where the Braves were consistently in playoff conversations. Unlike the Reds, the Braves had a terrible offense. They finished way back in the pack in many major categories. The best overall season was by rookie Jason Heyward, who hit .277 with 18 homers. Brian McCann added 21 bombs of his own, along with 77 RBI.

In another direct contrast to their opponents, the Braves had excellent pitching. A 3.56 team ERA was third in the league. Staff ace Tim Hudson won 17 games with a sub-three ERA and a 138 ERA+. Tommy Hanson and Derek Lowe also posted double-digit wins. However, the true strength of the Braves pitching staff lay in their shutdown bullpen, which ranked third in ERA and WHIP. Closer Billy Wagner made his seventh All-Star Game and saved 37 contests (including the 400th of his career) as he brought a 16-year big league tenure to a close. Jonny Venters, Peter Moylan, Takashi Saito, and Eric O’Flaherty were each individually brilliant. Topping it all off was the debut of a 22-year-old fireballer named Craig Kimbrel. So, this Atlanta Braves comebacks story truly was a battle of an excellent offense versus brilliant pitching.

A Tough Beginning

Like all of these stories, things have to start off poorly for the Braves. In this case, it came in the form of an eight-run second inning by the Reds. Hanson, who started for Atlanta, began the inning by giving up a single to Hernandez. Back-to-back outs followed. Then he allowed a base hit to Reds starter Mike Leake and walked Orlando Cabrera. Miguel Cairo followed that with an RBI hit to give the Reds the lead, and then Votto crushed a grand slam to make it 5-0. The next two batters reached and Hernandez picked up an RBI with his second hit of the inning. Laynce Nix then hit the first pitch he saw for a two-run double. Down by eight, Jesse Chavez was called upon and he managed to record the frame’s final out.

After this, the Braves settled in a bit. Chavez retired the next seven Reds hitters and Atlanta was able to get on the board thanks to some shoddy Reds defense. However, in the top of the fifth, Nix hit a solo homer and the Reds reclaimed an eight-run advantage. But more sticky opposing defense gave the Braves two runs in the bottom of the inning, making it 9-3. The Reds had multiple opportunities to add to their lead but failed to do so. Meanwhile, their pitching shut the Braves down, setting down 11 in a row heading into the ninth inning. Things seemed all but lost…but this is an Atlanta Braves comebacks story. Things are never lost.

The Ninth Inning

The Reds couldn’t capitalize on another scoring opportunity after getting back-to-back baserunners off Kimbrel. This opened the door for the Braves in the bottom of the ninth. Mike Lincoln had pitched two innings of perfect relief. Reds skipper Dusty Baker elected to let Lincoln finish the game. His first test was Troy Glaus, who promptly singled on an 0-2 pitch. Eric Hinske followed with a hit, and Yunel Escobar smashed a grounder that Cabrera couldn’t handle at short. Suddenly, the bases were loaded with nobody out and Nate McLouth was at the dish. He launched a 2-2 offering into the right field corner that scored two and made it 9-5.

Baker had seen enough, so he went to his bullpen and brought in future Brave Nick Masset. The new reliever began by walking Braves catcher David Ross. More bad Reds defense followed as Prado hit a hard ground ball that Cairo couldn’t handle at third, bringing the Braves within three. Once more, the bases were loaded and, once more, Baker turned to his bullpen. This time, he brought in the typically sure-handed Rhodes. Needing two outs, Rhodes managed to get Heyward to strike out swinging. Baker then turned to his closer, Cordero, to get pinch hitter Brooks Conrad. On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Conrad launched a ball to left-center field that bounced off Nix’s glove and over the fence for a grand slam, completing the comeback and giving the Braves an improbable 10-9 win.

Photo Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Players Mentioned: Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs, Scott Rolen, Brandon Phillips, Ramon Hernandez, Bronson Arroyo, Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake, Aaron Harang, Homer Bailey, Travis Wood, Arthur Rhodes, Francisco Cordero, Nick Masset, Logan Ondrusek, Jason Heyward, Brian McCann, Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson, Derek Lowe, Billy Wagner, Jonny Venters, Peter Moylan, Takashi Saito, Eric O’Flaherty, Craig Kimbrel, Orlando Cabrera, Miguel Cairo, Laynce Nix, Jesse Chavez, Mike Lincoln, Troy Glaus, Eric Hinske, Yunel Escobar, Nate McLouth, David Ross, Brooks Conrad

Managers Mentioned: Dusty Baker

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