Due to the fact the Marlins had been within the very same section as the Braves, which printed the NL least difficult historical past once more, Jack McKeon NL Wild Card winners opened the postseason at San Francisco towards the guarding NL champions.It supposed dealing with a Barry Bonds-led club that was function upon taking higher than the hump, soon after the Giants decline in direction of the Angels inside of 7 game titles at the 2002 Earth Sequence.McKeon made the decision straight absent that other gamers other than Bonds would incorporate towards combat the Marlins. The 18th-calendar year outfielder, upon his direction toward a 6th of 7 NL MVP Awards, would be 2-for-9 in just this collection with 8 foundation upon balls. Specifically, San Francisco strike no property operates in just this sequence.Jason Schmidt opened the sequence as a result of throwing a 3-strike shutout at Pac Bell Park. He gained a pitcher duel with Josh Beckett, who would transfer upon in the direction of be the star pitcher of the postseason.The Giants blew a 4-1 add and misplaced Activity 2, 9-5, and the sequence moved in direction of Miami. Ivan Rodriguez drove inside of each individual operate within a 4-3 Marlins victory, and that provided a 2-operate homer inside the initial and then the 2-operate wander-off solitary within just the 11th following San Francisco experienced taken a add inside the supreme of the inning.Pudge remained the principal focal level within this collection. In just Video game 4, with the Marlins up, 7-6
Marlins Store, and J.T. Snow upon instant with 2 out, Jeffrey Hammonds singled toward remaining. Jeff Conine quick-hopped the ball, fired a a person-hopper in direction of the plate, and Rodriguez took the comprehensive tension of a bruising collision with Snow. Rodriguez did 2 backward somersaults and then force the ball upward, displaying he experienced retained upon.Bonds, who was within just the gap after Hammonds strike, experienced performed his 48th and top postseason sport. His very last formal plate visual appeal was an intentional wander.The Marlins, who experienced received a Planet Collection inside 1997 as the NL Wild Card, experienced a possibility towards do it back. Currently they particularly experienced in direction of overcome the Cubs, who would consist of household-business usefulness and excellent pitching.Way toward the NLDS: Florida gained the NL Wild Card; San Francisco gained the NL West through 15 1/2 game titles Professionals: Jack McKeon, FLA; Felipe Alou, SF