Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Denny Neagle reacts after Montreal Expos' Hensley Meulen's home run in the fifth inning at Turner Field in Atlanta Sunday, Sept. 21, 1997. AP Photo/Ric Feld

Neagle gives up Cy Young dreams

Web posted September 22, 1997

By Bill Zack
Morris News Service

ATLANTA -- In four blinks of an eye, it was gone.

It took only that long for Denny Neagle's dreams of winning his first Cy Young award to vanish Sunday afternoon.

From among a collection of more than 2,500 pitches, his season of triumph was spoiled by four strikes. The messengers of his misfortune were named Rondell White, Hensley Meulens and David Segui.

Neagle gave up a career-high four home runs in his worst start in more than two months and the Braves kept their champagne on ice as the Montreal Expos ended Atlanta's six-game win streak with a 7-1 victory in front of a Turner Field sellout crowd of 47,179 fans.

``It probably did blow my chances at the Cy Young,'' Neagle said. ``When you go out and give up four homers, it doesn't exactly help your chances. When voters take everything into consideration, they take a look at how you finish.''

The Braves, 9-2 against the Expos this season, will have to wait at least another day to celebrate a division championship. With the Marlins playing later Sunday, their magic number for clinching the N.L. East remained at two.

A lineup that won with six hits and three runs Saturday night didn't produce much against an unfamiliar pitcher. Right-hander Mike Johnson, 0-5 with an 11.02 in nine road starts with the Orioles and Expos this season, managed to hold on through 4 1/3 innings, yielding six hits, but just one run.

Montreal's bullpen took it from there, with rookie Rick Dehart (2-1) receiving credit for the win for somehow coaxing Ryan Klesko to hit a bullet at shortstop Mark Grudzielanek, who turned it into an inning-ending double play after the Braves had scored a run in the fifth.

Neagle's best and worst starts have been against Montreal this season. The left-hander blanked the Expos 9-0 on June 5, but lasted only 5Š innings Sunday and took his first loss since Aug. 17. Before he departed, White and Meulens hit back-to-back homers in the fifth, then Segui and White went deep in consecutive at-bats the next inning.

Neagle admitted he was bothered by the torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, which forced him to push the start back three days. He modified his windup, bringing his hands to his belt, rather than going over his head, but he quickly became fatigued and felt pain in his left elbow and side.

``The best way I feel pitching is going up over my head,'' he said. ``That kind of hindered me a little today.''

For four innings, Neagle (20-4) appeared ready to nail down the Cy Young. He was perfect during that stretch, retiring the first 12 hitters he faced, including striking out the three hitters who were responsible for his demise - Segui, White and Meulens - in the second.

Segui's soft single in the fifth was the Expos' first hit and White followed by launching an 0-2 changeup deep into the left field stands for his 25th homer. Meulens, cut by the Braves during spring training, was next with his first home run since joining the Expos on Sept. 2.

Neagle got two outs in the sixth before Segui hammered a 2-2 pitch into the left field seats and White delivered another one moments later.

``I don't remember the last time I ever gave up four homers,'' Neagle said. ``I don't think I even did it in T-ball.''

His shoulder throbbing and his ego bruised, Neagle stomped down the dugout steps and disappeared into the clubhouse, where he rearranged some furniture. Two hours later he said he wasn't thinking about the Cy Young any longer, but his eyes betrayed the truth.

``All I want to do is get healthy and pitch well,'' he said. ``My priority right now is getting ready for the postseason. I'd take a World Series ring over a Cy Young award any day.''