By Charles Odum
Associated Press
ATLANTA ó The only champagne in Atlanta’s clubhouse was intended for an individual milestone.
The Braves’ hopes of a playoff celebration were dashed for the fourth straight year.
Pete Orr hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning and Washington beat Atlanta 2-1 on Thursday night, hours after the Braves were eliminated from postseason contention.
Orr’s one-out single to left field drove in Ryan Zimmerman, who opened the ninth with a double off Rafael Soriano. After the game, two bottles of champagne sat in a small cooler beside Garret Anderson’s locker in the Atlanta clubhouse to commemorate his 2,500th hit.
The little drama remaining in Atlanta’s late playoff push ended about 60 minutes before the game when Colorado clinched at least the NL wild card with a 9-2 win over Milwaukee.
“I was watching the game,” said Atlanta right-hander Tommy Hanson, who gave up one run in seven innings. “It wasn’t going to change how I went out and pitched today. I still wanted to go out on a good note.”
Hanson, who made 21 starts, is the first Atlanta rookie to make at least 20 starts and finish a season with an ERA under 3.00. The Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966.