The NL Division Series' both went 5 with favored Montreal squeezing pat the Braves, and San Francisco taking the Mets in perhaps a mild upset.
Montreal over Atlanta, 3-2: The teams split the first two, with Atlanta taking Game 1 in 10 on a Jude Snow sac fly and Montreal countering 7-1 in Game 2 behind 8 innings of J.P. Taveras 4-hit ball.
In the pivotal Game 3, the Expos got 2-run homers from Miguel Pena and Bernard Springer, and Diego Ibarra held the Braves to 4 hits over 7 for a 4-2 win and match point. Then Atlanta snapped back behind Matt Wilkerson to take Game 4, 3-1.
In the deciding game, Atlanta opened with a run in the first, but Montreal jumped ahead on another Springer 2-run bomb. Leading 3-2 with 2 out in the 4th, the Expos started the winning rally. Marte doubled and scored on Springer's single. Consecutive doubles by Freeman and Jose plated 2 more, and that was about it. Atlanta would get just one more, and Montreal took Game 5, 6-3. The Expos get their first trip to the NLCS since Season 6 (also against the Giants).
San Francisco over New York, 3-2: Things started well for the Giants, as the beat Walt Hernandez 3-1 in the opener. Then they dug a hole by dropping the next 2 - strong outings by the Mets' Cedeno and Spooneybarger.
Game 4 started with the Mets grabbing the advantage, thanks to a 1st-inning, Hiram Abbott 3-run homer. The Giants scrapped back to tie it 4-4 in the 7th, then in the 8th Phil Chang doubled home pinch-runner Matt McBride for the game-winner.
Game 5 was a pitchers' duel featuring the Mets' Cedeno and the Giants' Max Ferrer. The Giants went ahead 2-1 in the 7th on Jesus Figureoa's bloop single, and Schafer and Manning held the Mets scoreless over the last 2. San Francisco had the win and its 2nd trip to the NLCS.
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