MLB Tournament of Champions: NLDS Series 1

We've narrowed the field down from 30 teams at the beginning of April to eight as we begin the Division Series in the Tournament of Champions!

Each series is getting its own post because I want to make sure that they all get their own attention, and this way I can do short writeups for each individual game of the postseason.

Calendar-wise, the two series in this round that don't feature Wild Card teams are getting a one-day head start on the series that do feature the Wild Cards, in an effort to allow for travel and a little bit of rest. That doesn't impact this series over in the National League, however.

On one side, we have the 2007 Colorado Rockies. Colorado was in the mix in the NL West for pretty much the entire regular season, with a short time just outside that spot, but they were ticketed for the postseason from the get-go. Their rotation didn't seem otherworldly, at least looking at their actual stats from 2007, but their offense was lethal, and it propelled them to 52 wins.

They will go up against the 1995 Atlanta Braves. Atlanta was in the mix from the get-go as well, despite a problem with the schedule that forced them to play on 34 straight days, something that Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement prohibits. But the Braves didn't let it bother them as they took home the league's longest winning streak at either 14 or 15 games from May into June, which allowed them to overtake the 1986 New York Mets and win the NL East going away.

These two teams will play a best of five series, with the Braves getting home field advantage in a 2-2-1 format thanks to their better regular season record, which is good because the two teams split their regular season series with three wins apiece. I am also keeping stats for the postseason, which you can view here. All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Let's get the Division Series underway!

Sunday, July 23rd

Game 1
'07 COL 3, @ '95 ATL 1 (11)
W: Fuentes (1-0) | L: Clontz (0-1) | SV: Hawkins (1)

Colorado came out of the gate strong, with Willy Taveras singling, stealing second, then scoring on an RBI triple by Troy Tulowitzki. Both teams threatened in the second, with the Rockies leaving two on in their half and the Braves loading the bases with one out when Mark Lemke bounced into a 4-6-3 double play. Each team had some more chances but couldn't convert until the bottom of the sixth when Ryan Klesko launched a solo home run to tie the game. Atlanta missed chances in the eighth and ninth to take the lead, and the game went to extras. In the top of the 11th, Tulowitzki walked, stole second, then came around to score on Matt Holliday's RBI single. Holliday then stole second and scored on Todd Helton's RBI double. Atlanta got two baserunners on, but a double play erased one and LaTroy Hawkins got the final out for the Rockies.

Tulowitzki and Holliday each had a run and an RBI for Colorado, starter Aaron Cook threw six innings of one run ball, allowing six hits, one walk, and striking out one, and Brian Fuentes went 1 2/3 innings for the victory, allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out two. Greg Maddux took a no decision for the Braves despite throwing eight innings of one run ball, allowing five hits and striking out four. Ryan Klesko provided the only major offense for the Braves with his solo home run.

Monday, July 24th

Game 2
@ '95 ATL 8, '07 COL 3
W: Smoltz (1-0) | L: Lopez (0-1)

The Rockies got going quickly again, with Troy Tulowitzki launching a two run homer to get his team on the board first. The Braves were quick to respond in Game 2 though, with David Justice hitting a solo shot in the bottom of the first to cut the deficit in half, and Mark Lemke hit a solo homer of his own in the second to tie it. In the third, the Braves got to manufacturing runs, as Marquis Grissom led off with a single and scored on a Ryan Klesko double. Klesko would come around on an RBI single by Fred McGriff to make it 4-2 Braves. Atlanta would add insurance in each of the next three innings, with the big blow coming off the bat of Javy Lopez in the form of a two run homer. The Rockies got their first two men on in the top of the seventh, but got just one run out of it, and couldn't manage anything more as the Braves even the series.

Klesko led the Braves with a 3-4 day with a double, two runs, and two RBIs, Mark Lemke went 3-3 with a double, home run, scoring twice and driving in a pair, Javy Lopez had two hits, including the aforementioned home run, and John Smoltz went seven innings, allowing three runs on nine hits, walking three and striking out seven. Willy Taveras did a great job setting the table for the Rockies, going 3-4, but he managed just one run. Tulowitzki had the two run home run as one of his two hits, and Brad Hawpe had a two hit game. Rodrigo Lopez was pulled after four-plus innings having allowed seven runs on ten hits with just one strikeout.

Wednesday, July 26th

Game 3
'95 ATL 15, @ '07 COL 1
W: Glavine (1-0) | L: Jiminez (0-1)

Borrowing a trend from the first two games, the Braves struck quickly in Game 3. Marquis Grissom led off the contest with a home run, and Javy Lopez and Chipper Jones each added RBI singles to make it 3-0 Atlanta before starter Tom Glavine even took the mound. The Braves would add three more in the third before Colorado got a run back in the bottom half off an RBI single from Troy Tulowitzki. That was it for the Rockies offense, as the Braves got that run right back and then some on a two run shot by Ryan Klesko. Atlanta would add three more in the seventh and four in the ninth. Colorado never really threatened after the third, other than getting two on with nobody out in the seventh before a double play erased the threat, and they left the bases loaded in the eighth.

Grissom broke out of his funk in a big way, going 3-6 with a home run, two doubles, two runs scored, and four driven in. David Justice went 3-5 with a double and three runs, Klesko went 3-4 with a home run, three runs scored, and two RBIs, Javy Lopez had three hits and drove in four, and Tom Glavine went 7 1/3 innings allowing one run on nine hits, walking one and striking out six while going 2-4 with a run and two RBIs at the plate for Atlanta. Tulowitzki had three hits and the lone RBI for Colorado, Garrett Atkins had two hits, Ubaldo Jiminez was chased after three-plus innings allowing eight runs on 10 hits, and Taylor Buchholz ate up 4 1/3 innings in relief, but allowed seven runs in the process.

Thursday, July 27th

Game 4
'95 ATL 5, @ '07 COL 4
W: Mercker (1-0) | L: Fogg (0-1) | SV: Wohlers (1)

Once again the road team got off to an early start as Ryan Klesko homered again, this one a two run blast to put the Braves ahead 2-0. Colorado got one back in the second as Yorvit Torrealba singled home Brad Hawpe, then tied it in the third on an RBI double by Todd Helton, though the Rockies left two more runners on base in the inning. Mike Mordecai had the big blast for Atlanta, crushing a pinch hit three run shot in the top of the seventh. The Rockies left the bases loaded in the seventh, then loaded them again in the eighth, scoring one on a Garrett Atkins single and a second when Torrealba grounded into a double play, but Mark Wohlers came on for the ninth and retired the side in order to advance the Braves to the NLCS.

Kent Mercker had a quality start for Atlanta, allowing two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out five in six innings, getting the win when Mike Mordecai pinch hit for him and launched one to the seats. David Justice went 1-2 with three walks, and Klesko hit his third home run of the series in the first inning. Josh Fogg went 6 1/3 innings but took the tough loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on four hits, walking four and striking out five. Troy Tulowitzki went 2-5 with a run scored, and Brad Hawpe went 2-4 with a run for Colorado.

To see the updated bracket, click here.

Congratulations to the 1995 Atlanta Braves, who are doing their franchise a major service by advancing on to the next round! The Braves of the 90's and early 2000's won several straight division titles, but only got one title out of the deal, but thanks to solid pitching and timely hitting, they will take on [either the 2016 Cubs or 1975 Reds]. Check back over the next couple days to see more results from the Division Series!