Braves Season Ends in Wild Game

The Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals played in the very first wild card playoff game tonight, and boy was it wild. In a tense game, the Braves fell short to the Cardinals, 6-3. Multiple factors contributed to the Braves loss, but the craziest one occurred in the eighth inning.
The Braves had two men on in the eighth and shortstop Andrelton Simmons came up to the plate. He hit a high pop-up that should have been a routine out, but the Cardinals' shortstop Pete Kozma and left fielder Matt Holliday let the ball drop right in between them. The Braves suddenly had bases loaded with one out and Brian McCann coming up next. At least that is what the Braves and everyone in the stands believed.
Next thing everyone knew, manager Fredi Gonzalez came out of the Braves' dugout fuming. Umpire Sam Holbrook had apparently called an infield fly rule, which would automatically make Simmons out. The rule usually only counts if the ball is in the infield, but this fly ball was clearly in the outfield. Once the fans found out what happened, all heck broke lose at Turner Field. Beer cans, water bottles, popcorn tins, any trash fans could throw began raining onto the field, in a reaction never before witnessed in Atlanta. The fans were furious.
This call wasn't the only call made in the Cardinals favor. Earlier in the game, a ball thrown to first that hit Simmons was apparently his fault as he was called out. Strikes were called against the Braves when they batted but not against the Cardinals. It seemed the umpires wanted the Cardinals to win.
But the blame should not all be placed upon the umps, as the Braves failed in plenty of aspects of the game. The usually stalwart defense, which was the best in the majors this year, made three errors, including a crucial error by Chipper Jones that led to three runs alone. Kris Medlen wasn't as sharp as he has been all season. Finally, the batters continued their horrible hitting with runners aboard. The Braves managed to get twelve hits, but left twelve men on base.
All of this overshadowed the fact that catcher David Ross hit a two-run home run in the second inning for the Braves and sparked the fans, but unfortunately that spark didn't reach the Braves. This was their game. They easily could have won, especially when they managed to get TWELVE hits, they got to win that game.
The Braves last won a playoff series in 2001, and since then they have made six more playoff appearances, but haven't won. The fans really were hoping for a different outcome. They were behind their Braves in this game, they really wanted a win. After tonight though, they have to hear the saying they are all too familiar with, "There's always next year."

Cardinals Adron Chambers scores as the ball gets by Braves' catcher David Ross on one of the three Braves' errors.
Photo Courtesy of news.yahoo.com