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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Braves clinch 14th consecutive division title


While most of the crowd remained in the dark, two Braves fans displayed their homemade pennant Tuesday after Atlanta clinched its 14th consecutive division title. 
 (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Associated Press

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves clinched their 14th straight division title Tuesday night, but held off telling the fans at Turner Field.

The Braves had just finished off a four-run fifth inning, giving them a 7-1 lead over the Colorado Rockies, when Philadelphia’s Bobby Abreu struck out to complete a 3-2 loss to the New York Mets.

The loss by the second-place Phillies wrapped up the National League East championship for the Braves, who began their record-setting streak in 1991 – when they were in the N.L. West.

A smattering of fans apparently learned of Philadelphia’s loss via cell phone, clapping as soon as Abreu struck out. “Let’s go, Mets!” one man yelled.

A tomahawk-chopping woman held up a handmade “2005” sign above the left-field seats, right next to the pennants detailing each of the Braves’ playoff seasons.

But the rest of the crowd was apparently in the dark. The out-of-town scoreboard merely showed the Mets leading 3-2 in the eighth.

Even after the Rockies were retired in the top of the sixth, there was no mention of the division title.

Instead, the Braves showed the “Kiss Cam” on their massive center-field scoreboard, encouraging couples to kiss when the camera turned on them.

In the bottom half, Marcus Giles hit his second homer of the game, a two-run shot, to give the Braves a 9-3 lead. When the Rockies made a pitching change, the crowd passed the time singing “YMCA.”

Finally, as Chipper Jones stepped into the box, the public address announcer revealed the news.

Mets 3, Phillies 2.

The celebration was on. The crowd of 25,306 gave the Braves a standing ovation, and several broke out signs marking the occasion.

“In case you didn’t know – 14 in a row,” one said. Two shirtless men had painted a “1” and a “4” on their chests.

After Jones struck out, Braves manager Bobby Cox began clearing his bench.

In the clubhouse, meanwhile, workers iced down the champagne and covered the lockers in plastic.