HOUSTON, Oct. 10 -- John Smoltz, Adam LaRoche and J.D. Drew saved the Atlanta Braves from another quick playoff exit.
The Braves pounced on Houston's bullpen as soon as Roger Clemens was gone, rallying from a three-run deficit for a 6-5 victory Sunday that tied the best-of-five National League Division Series at two games.
| _____ From The Post _____
• Notebook: Yankees closer Mariano Rivera loses two relatives in a pool accident in Panama.
• 1996 NL MVP Ken Caminiti dies suddenly at the age of 41.
_____ On Our Site _____
• Post's Dave Sheinin took questions Wednesday. Read the transcript.
_____ NL Schedule, Results _____
St. Louis vs. Los Angeles
Game 1: Cardinals 8, Dodgers 3
Game 2: Cardinals 8, Dodgers 3
Game 3: Dodgers 4, Cardinals 0
Game 4: Cardinals 6, Dodgers 2
• Cardinals win series, 3-1 Atlanta vs. Houston
Game 1: Astros 9, Braves 3
Game 2: Braves 4, Astros 2 (11)
Game 3: Astros 8, Braves 5
Game 4: Braves 6, Astros 5
Game 5: Astros 12, Braves 3
• Astros win series, 3-2 * -- If necessary
All times Eastern Daylight Time
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LaRoche hit a tying, three-run homer in the sixth inning and Drew singled home the go-ahead run in the ninth, handing the Astros their latest agonizing loss in October and forcing the series back to Atlanta for Game 5 on Monday.
"We get to go back home and the plane ride's a lot easier," Smoltz said. "We worked very hard to get home-field advantage and we need to take care of it. I feel like we got a break today."
Jaret Wright, the Game 1 loser, will start for the Braves on Monday at Turner Field against 20-game winner Roy Oswalt, who didn't get a decision in Game 2 and will pitch on three days' rest.
Working on short rest himself, Clemens left after five innings with a 5-2 lead, but the Braves rallied to snap Houston's 19-game home winning streak. It was another wrenching postseason loss for the Astros, still looking to win a playoff series for the first time in their 43-season history.
"Streaks are streaks, they've got to come to an end some time," Braves Manager Bobby Cox said.
Houston tried to mount its own comeback in the bottom of the ninth, when Jeff Bagwell and Lance Berkman singled off Smoltz with one out to put runners at the corners. Smoltz then got his record 14th postseason win when Jeff Kent grounded into a game-ending double play.
On the verge of its third consecutive first-round loss, Atlanta made its move right after Chad Qualls replaced Clemens. Chipper Jones singled, Andruw Jones doubled with one out and LaRoche homered into the Astros' bullpen in right.
"It was a little momentum swing, I think, for the guys that were down, thinking this might be our last game," said the 24-year-old rookie, who hit his first postseason homer. "That turned the emotions around and kind of gave guys a boost, I think."
The winning rally began when Russ Springer, who relieved Brad Lidge to start the ninth, hit Rafael Furcal with a pitch with two outs and Furcal stole second.
Drew, hitless in three previous at-bats Sunday and 2 for 15 in the series to that point, singled to right-center, with Furcal scoring easily.
"Three runs is not enough against that team," Kent said. "And then they bring in a guy like Smoltz, who is dominating. It's tough to score runs against him. You have to get ahead against them early so you don't have to face a guy like that."
Coming into Sunday, Clemens was 0-3 with a 6.98 ERA on three days' rest. He was making a quick turnaround for the first time since April 11, 2002. And he hadn't pitched on short rest in the postseason since a loss to Oakland in 2000.
