Glavine and Justice Bring a Title to Atlanta

On October 28, 1995, Tom Glavine threw eight innings of one-hit ball and David Justice homered in the sixth inning to give the Atlanta Braves a 1-0 victory over the Cleveland Indians in Game 6 of the World Series. The win clinched the championship and brought the Braves their first title since moving to Atlanta in 1966.

The Braves had been close before. They lost the 1991 World Series to the Twins in seven games and the 1992 Series to the Blue Jays in six. In the strike-shortened 1994 season, they had the best record in the National League when play was halted. By 1995, the core of Glavine, Greg Maddux, and John Smoltz had become the best pitching rotation in baseball, but the franchise still lacked a championship.

Glavine was dominant in Game 6. He retired the first 15 Indians in order before Tony Pena blooped a single into shallow right-center to lead off the sixth. That was Cleveland's only hit. Glavine walked three and struck out eight, working quickly and efficiently through one of the best lineups in the American League. Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez, Jim Thome, Eddie Murray, and Carlos Baerga combined to go 0-for-17 with five strikeouts.

Justice provided the only offense. Before the game, he had publicly criticized Atlanta fans for not being loud enough. He answered his own challenge with a solo home run off reliever Jim Poole, pulling it into the right field seats at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

Mark Wohlers pitched the ninth, striking out Paul Sorrento to end it. The Braves became the first franchise to win the World Series in three different cities, having previously won in Boston in 1914 and Milwaukee in 1957. Glavine won the World Series MVP award, his second individual postseason honor of that October.