J-Reel

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J-Reel

ATLANTA (AP) -- They came by the thousands, intent on helping their beloved Cubbies break a 58-year losing streak in postseason road games by transforming Turner Field into Wrigley Field South.

It worked.

Kerry Wood allowed only two hits and drove in the go-ahead runs with a double in the sixth inning off Russ Ortiz, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 4-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of their NL division series.

Wood's two-run double, which broke a 1-all tie, made him the first pitcher to drive in the game-winning run in a postseason game since Orval Overall for the Cubs in Game 4 of the 1907 World Series.

But it was Wood's work on the mound that stood out. He completely throttled the high-scoring Braves, a team that produced six players with 20 homers and four with 100 RBI during the regular season.

Wood struck out 11 in 7 1-3 innings. The only major slip-up came in the third, when Marcus Giles homered.

Trailing 4-1, Atlanta scored a run and knocked out Wood without getting a hit. A questionable call at first on a potential inning-ending double play allowed the run to score.

But Kyle Farnsworth retired Javy Lopez on a bases-loaded grounder to short, and Joe Borowski allowed a hit but struck out the side in the ninth for the save -- completing the three-hitter.

Lost in the hoopla over Chicago's 95-year drought without a World Series title was this little nugget: The Cubs had lost eight straight postseason road games since Claude Passeau pitched a one-hitter to beat Detroit in Game 3 of 1945 World Series.

Of course, the Cubs went on to lose that World Series, falling to the Tigers in seven games. They have lost 10 straight postseason series since winning their last World Series title in 1908.

Maybe this time will be different. On the first day of spring training, first-year manager Dusty Baker told his players to forget the past and create some new Cubs' history.

Baker also knows something about beating the Braves. He guided the Giants to a first-round victory over Atlanta on the way to the World Series.

Now, his new team will go to Game 2 on Wednesday night with a chance to take command of the best-of-five series. At worst, they will head back to Chicago with a split at Turner Field and the next two games before their adoring Wrigley rowdies.

Actually, the Cubs must feel like they're already at home. Thousands of Chicago fans were part of the overflow crowd of 52,043 at Turner Field, which had its first postseason sellout in three years. They made their presence felt -- and heard.

While Atlanta's tomahawk choppers did their best to drown out the Chicago contingent, the roar was enormous when Wood lined a 1-0 pitch to the wall in left-center to break a 1-all tie in the sixth.

Wood slapped his hands as he arrived at second base.

"Kerry! Kerry! Kerry!" the Cubs faithful shouted.

Ortiz, who led the National League with 21 wins, escaped all sorts of trouble through the first five innings -- the most serious jam coming in the fourth when the Cubs loaded the bases with no outs. Alex Gonzalez took a called third strike, Paul Bako went down swinging and Wood whiffed to end the threat.

The Cubs started the sixth in identical fashion, loading the bases with no outs on consecutive singles by Moises Alou, Aramis Ramirez and Eric Karros. Hoping to change the dynamics, Baker sent up Randall Simon as a pinch-hitter for Gonzalez, but the former Brave struck out swinging.

Ortiz had a chance to get out of the jam when Bako hit a slow grounder to the right of first baseman Robert Fick. But the converted outfielder couldn't make the scoop, though second baseman Giles scooped up the ball and got Bako at first.

Alou trotted home with the tying run, breaking Ortiz's 19-inning scoreless streak dating back to the regular season. Two pitches later, Ortiz was knocked out of the game by Wood's two-run double.

Lefty Ray King came on to face Kenny Lofton, who blooped an RBI single to short-center to make it 4-1. King stood on the mound in disbelief, hands on his hips.

It was a fitting picture for the Braves, winners of 12 straight division titles but haunted by all the chances that got away. Since beginning its unprecedented run in 1991, Atlanta has just one World Series title.

Last year, Ortiz beat the Braves twice to lead San Francisco to an opening-round playoff victory. Acquired during the offseason, the right-hander had the best year of his career -- but no immediate impact on Atlanta's postseason fortunes.

Ortiz followed his usual routine. He fell behind hitters, gave up plenty of baserunners and kept finding ways to get out of trouble.

Until the sixth, that is.

Ortiz was behind in the count on 16 of 27 hitters, and threw first-pitch balls to 12 of those. He reached three balls in the count a staggering 10 times, leading to three walks.

It was too much to overcome against Wood, who came into the postseason with a streak of 17 consecutive scoreless innings.

Wood finally faltered in the third, leaving a fastball over the inside corner that Giles lined into the left-field seats for his second playoff homer.

Atlanta's other hit off Wood was Lopez's soft single to center in the seventh.

__________________

Scheck out the new girls at www.hawtmoney.com

ICQ 177-447-671

grogan