SAD NEWS FOR THE ATLANTA BRAVES: HE IS BACK........

It remains difficult to comprehend the most disastrous inning in the history of the Braves.

Atlanta has experienced its fair share of sports disappointments, but what transpired at what was then-SunTrust Park on October 9, 2019, defied belief. Even by our standards.

This particular event didn’t involve Tom Brady, widely regarded as the greatest NFL quarterback, nor did it involve Nick Saban, arguably the best college football coach in history. It didn’t even involve the Yankees, often considered the greatest in baseball history.

Our city has witnessed some memorable sports letdowns, often at the hands of all-time great individuals or franchises. However, this instance was a uniquely Atlanta disaster.

The Braves were facing the Cardinals in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. Despite winning 97 games in the regular season, the Braves found themselves in a challenging position against the 91-win Cardinals. On paper, the Cardinals seemed to lag behind the Braves, particularly in offense, but they had impressed with their pitching, led by young ace Jack Flaherty.

Throughout the series, Murphy’s Law seemed to apply at key moments. The Braves faced setbacks, including blowing a lead in Game 1 due to a reliever’s injury, yet they managed to win Games 2 and 3. However, Game 4 proved to be a missed opportunity, with the Braves losing after relinquishing a lead in the eighth inning.

All of this led to the decisive Game 5. Heading into the matchup, the teams appeared evenly matched statistically. The tension was palpable as both teams fought for victory.

The Braves are no strangers to postseason disappointments, particularly in front of their home crowd. Before the game, the team decided not to distribute foam tomahawks following criticism from Ryan Helsley, a member of the Cherokee Nation, about the associated chant.