Aug 30, 2002 5 min read

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Unfortunately for Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, the strike – at least that by the Atlanta Braves’ offense – started two days early. Glavine’s wildness led to Pittsburgh’s first two runs and the Pirates, helped by Bronson Arroyo’s effective start and Aramis Ramirez’s homer, shut down Atlanta’s offense again to beat the Braves 4-1 Thursday.

In the final game for both teams before a possible strike, Glavine was aware he could be making his last start for the Braves, just a day after Maddux also did so. Neither star is signed for next season.

Remarkably, neither won, even though they have a combined 37 victories, 19 by Maddux, against the Pirates – the team they beat in the 1991 and 1992 NL playoffs to begin their reign as one of league’s most dominant teams ever.

“You try to remain as optimistic as you can be, but that could be the end of the Braves as we know it,” Chipper Jones said. “I can’t imagine this offense as it is now without Maddux and Glavine.”

Playing their third straight game without injured outfielder Gary Sheffield (sprained thumb), the Braves again struggled for runs. They scored only one run in the final 21 innings of the three-game series, losing 1-0 Wednesday night in 10 innings to the recently recalled Brian Meadows and two relievers.

“I think our offense went on strike a few days ago,” Jones said. “It’s frustrating. We’re not getting too many opportunities and when we do, we’re not coming through. It hasn’t been real fun.”

Glavine said, “I think Sheff took it (the offense) back home with him. I hope he unpacks it when we get back to Atlanta.”

Of course, the lack of offensive support is nothing new for Glavine (16-8), who is only 5-4 in the second half of the season despite allowing more than three earned runs just twice. During that span, the Braves have scored three or fewer runs for him six times.

“For us to beat (games started by) Maddux and Glavine less than 24 hours apart, we have to play close to perfect baseball,” Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. “But the pitching we got gave us the opportunity to win.”

Coincidentally, the Pirates’ two runs against Glavine – the NL player representative – were driven in by Kevin Young, their own player rep, and Keith Osik, who doesn’t belong to the players’ union.

Osik was a replacement player during the 1994-95 labor dispute and has never been invited to join the union.

Ramirez doubled and scored in the first, then hit a two-run homer – his 12th – off reliever Tim Spooneybarger in the eighth to make it 4-1. The Pirates have won five of six.

“We’re playing pretty well right now, and it (a strike) would be tough for everybody,” Ramirez said. “We hope they get it done and we can play the last month and finish strong.”

With a possible strike looming, there were only sporadic signs of fan unrest in PNC Park, where 17,312 showed up on a sunny, warm afternoon. One sign read, “Fix It or We Don’t Come Back,” while fans occasionally yelled sarcastic, anti-strike remarks at the players.

“I think a strike would be terrible,” said Mary Anne Curran, 45, of Bridgeville, Pa., expressing the sentiment of many in attendance. “I think both sides are being awfully greedy, considering what is happening economically in this country. I find it disgusting they can’t find a happy medium when they’re talking about millions of dollars.”

Pirates outfielder Brian Giles said he was listening.

“We plan on playing tomorrow. I’m optimistic we’ll get a deal done,” he said. “What people don’t realize is the players are just as frustrated as anybody else.”

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the first when Giles doubled, Ramirez walked and Young singled to left.

The Pirates, who had won only eight of 32 against Atlanta since 1998 before Wednesday’s victory, made it 2-0 in the fourth. Ramirez doubled before Glavine hit Young and Craig Wilson with pitches to load the bases. Glavine hit only five batters in his first 29 starts.

After Adam Hyzdu’s grounder forced Ramirez at the plate, Osik hit what appeared to be a routine double-play grounder, but shortstop Rafael Furcal momentarily bobbled the ball, costing the Braves any chance to turn the double play.

Despite his wildness, Glavine said he wasn’t distracted by the labor negotiations. He left immediately after the game to join the talks in New York.

“It was fun to get away from it for 21/2 hours,” he said. “I don’t enjoy talking about it all the time.”

Arroyo (2-1), the second recent minor league callup to pitch successfully against the Braves in as many days, held Atlanta to an unearned run over five innings, allowing five hits and striking out six.

Atlanta’s only run came in the fifth, when Young couldn’t handle Julio Franco’s hard-hit grounder to first, drawing an error that scored Darren Bragg.

“It’s another frustrating one, but I was pretty happy with it,” Glavine said. “If I pitch like that, I’ll win most of the time.”

Mike Lincoln followed Arroyo with two scoreless innings, Brian Boehringer pitched the eighth and Mike Williams finished for his 38th save in 41 opportunities.

NOTES: Giles played for the first time in the majors against his younger brother, Braves 3B Marcus Giles, who went 1-for-3 with a walk, flying out to his brother in left field his first at-bat. … Arroyo also beat Glavine last season, 6-3 in Turner Field on May 27.