The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • E10

SPT1008-A-E -Composite Proof 0:47 0:00 RSPT1008OE10FSPT1008OE10 4 Star 10E 10E RR RR BlueRedYellowBlack Blue RedYellowBlack E10 Friday, Oct. 8, 2004 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 4 On her final chops Organist hanging up her keyboard after 17 years just thinking that since this is my last year, win the Series again. I want to go out with a CAROLYN KING JONES, retiring Turner Field organist W.A. BRIDGES JR. Staff Carolyn King Jones who started with the Braves as a 16-year-old senior at Avondale High, wants to spend more time with her children.

By JACK WILKINSON And you thought John Smoltz was the only Brave been around since 1991? Carolyn King Jones has played for the Braves since She estimates averaged about 75 games a season for 17 years. Do the math: 1,275 games. Jones said, how many times played, Me Out to the Jones, the organist at Turner Field, the woman who introduced Braves fans to Tomahawk is retiring after this season. When the postseason ends, so does her tenure as the first black female organist in major-league history. told Mr.

Schuerholz be here through the World Jones said. got a laugh out of that. just thinking that since this is my last year, win the Series again. I want to go out with a Jones, 34, who teaches music at Bethune Middle School in DeKalb County, wants to spend more time with her children, Carmen, 8, and Tyson, 3. missing too many said Jones, who also is earning a doctorate in education.

At the ballpark, miss the people. miss playing. I miss the hours and the Carolyn King was a 16-year-old senior at Avondale High School when her music teacher persuaded her to audition for the Braves. She beat out nearly 80 candidates (including the incumbent organist) to win the job. She played sweetly, as always, beautifully.

really know that much about Jones said. liked to play it. I knew you run around the bases and try to get home. But Marshall Mann late, beloved P.A. announcer in Atlanta-Fulton County and Kevin Barnes longtime media member in the press always assisted me on what to When Houston came to town in 1989, the Astros had a pitcher named Bob Knepper, an arch- conservative who was adamant that female reporters belong in the clubhouse.

Two women who worked in the Braves press box asked Jones to play a song when Knepper came to bat. They sang the tune and, picking it up by ear, Jones welcomed Knepper with Helen Am role has been to enhance the game by giving the fans alternative ways to Jones said. the crowd different ways to cheer, to support the In 1990 not the miracle season of Jones began playing a little ditty learned years earlier in a songbook, striking the A and keys to start the fans clapping. sounded as if it would go with a team called the she said. The next season, it became Tomahawk although Jones insists, know Deion Sanders went to Florida State, and I know it was their fight It became a Braves phenomenon.

But, Jones recalled, was a young person and understand my role When Native Americans protested outside the stadium in the postseason, found one of the chiefs and told him, the one playing The Chop. I started it. my Jones said. said, responsibility is to your family, to play the organ. If you leave, find someone else You playing is not going to change INSIDE THE BOX HOW THEY SCORED Astros first.

Biggio popped out to second baseman Giles. Beltran grounded out, third baseman C.Jones to first baseman LaRoche. Bagwell homered to right on a full count. Berkman popped out to second baseman Giles. Astros 1, Braves 0.

Astros third. Chavez homered to left on the first pitch. Oswalt grounded out, shortstop Furcal to first baseman LaRoche. Biggio walked on four pitches. Beltran struck out.

Bagwell struck out. Astros 2, Braves 0. Braves seventh. Thomas grounded out, second baseman Kent to first baseman Bagwell. Wise pinch-hitting for Gryboski.

Wise doubled to right. Furcal singled to center, Wise scored. Lidge pitching. Bruntlett in as shortstop. Furcal stole second, on catcher throwing error, Furcal to third.

Giles struck out. Furcal was out advanc- ing, catcher Chavez to pitcher Lidge, Furcal out. Astros 2, Braves 1. Braves eighth. Lane in as left fielder.

J.Drew infield single to second. J.Drew was caught stealing, catcher Chavez to shortstop Bruntlett, J.Drew out. C.Jones walked on a full count. Estrada singled to right, C.Jones to third. Betemit pinch-running for Estrada.

LaRoche doubled to center, C.Jones scored, Betemit to third. Green pinch- running for LaRoche. A.Jones grounded into choice, third baseman Ensberg to catcher Chavez, Betemit out, Green to third. Thomas struck out. Braves 2, Astros 2.

Braves eleventh. A.Jones struck out. Thomas singled to right. Marrero pinch-hitting for Alfonseca. Marrero fouled out to catcher Ausmus.

Thomas stole second. Fur- cal homered to right on a 1-2 count, Thomas scored. Braves 4, Astros 2. Braves 4, Astros 2 HoustonABRHBIBBSOAVG Biggio lf 300010.125 Lane lf 100001.500 CBeltran cf 500003.375 Bagwell 1b 511101.300 Berkman rf 501002.300 JKent 2b 400001.111 Ensberg 3b 200020.333 JVizcaino ss 300000.000 Lidge OPalmeiro ph 000000.000 Ausmus 000000.250 RChavez 312100.667 Lamb ph 100000.000 DMiceli Oswalt 100010.000 Bruntlett ss 100010.000 Totals3424258 AtlantaABRHBIBBSOAVG Furcal ss 513300.500 MGiles 2b 501001.200 JDrew rf 501003.125 CJones 3b 410010.000 JEstrada 301010.286 Betemit JuFranco 1b 100000.000 Laroche 1b 403101.429 NGreen EddPerez 100000.000 AJones cf 501001.375 Thomas lf 511001.333 Hampton 201001.500 Gryboski DWise ph 111000.500 Smoltz 1010001.000 Alfonseca Marrero ph 100000.000 Totals43414428 Houston Atlanta Two outs when winning run scored. a-doubled for Gryboski in the 7th.

b-sacrificed for Lidge in the 10th. c-flied out for Chavez in the 10th. d-fouled out for Alfonseca in the 11th. 1-ran for Estrada in the 8th. 2-ran for LaRoche in the 8th.

RChavez (1). LOB: Houston 5, Atlanta 10. 2B: Laroche (1), DWise (1). HR: Furcal (1), off DMiceli, RChavez (1), off Hampton, Bagwell (1), off Hampton. RBIs: Bagwell (2), RChavez (1), Furcal 3 (3), Laroche (1).

SB: Furcal (1), Thomas (1). CS: Berkman (1), JDrew (1). OPalmeiro, Furcal. DP: Atlanta 1. Houston IPHRERBBSONPERA Oswalt .......6 1 3 81114881.42 Lidge BS, 1 ....2 2 3 41113393.38 DMiceli 0-1 ..1 2 3 222012610.80 Atlanta IPHRERBBSONPERA Hampton .....6 1 3 422351002.84 Gryboski 2 3 0000056.75 Smoltz .......300023450.00 Alfonseca 1-0 10000090.00 3:27.

40,075 Raul Chavez: Homer makes 8 of 11 Houston runs in series via long ball. Jeff Bagwell: Four Killer go 2-for-18. Craig Biggio: Postseason average falls to .129 (8- for-62). Chipper Jones: 0- for-8 in the series, 3-for- 26 (.115) in past two postseasons. Adam LaRoche: Game-tying double makes him 3-for-3 lifetime against Brad Lidge.

Rafael Furcal: His single in seventh snapped 0-for- 12 with runners in scoring position. Now 6-for-13 (.462) vs. Roy Oswalt this season. Continued from E1 Jones and teammates appeared to be enjoying the moment more than the shortstop himself after his first career postseason home run in the 11th inning and the first walk- off homer by an Atlanta Braves player in the playoffs secured a 4-2 victory over Houston. He was serious and soft-spoken in the interview room after the game.

He smiled only just before he walked off the dais when somebody said, you Understand, even by high- profile humiliation standards, Furcal time his well. The morning of Game 1 of these National League Division Playoffs, he was sitting in a courtroom being sentenced for a probation violation stemming from a second DUI arrest on Sept. 10. Furcal was told he could defer a three- week prison term until after the playoffs, but to say he was set free until then would be overstatement. The Braves left for Houston after the game.

When they arrived, Furcal was to stay in his hotel room. He is allowed to leave only to walk the few blocks to Minute Maid Park. Any driving between now and his jail term must be done by someone else. probation officer can check in with him at any time. The Braves also must monitor his whereabouts.

He have to wear leg chains. But you wonder if it feels like it. Furcal complain Thursday, nor would he attach any significance to hitting home run during an otherwise nightmarish week. me, when I come to the ballpark and open my car door and walk into the stadium, I forget he said. put all of my concentration on the game when I got to the field.

Then after the game I can go to my house and take care of my problems. But at the game, I think about playing and getting a Not everybody has such an ability to compartmentalize things. His two-run homer to right field off reliever Dan Miceli came with two out and a 1-2 count (after falling behind 0-2). He also singled home pinch hitter Dewayne Wise in the seventh inning to trim the lead to 2-1. In two games this series, he is 4- for-8 with four RBIs, two runs scored, a home run, a triple and two walks.

He also has played outstanding defense. Furcal does all this knowing that the day after the Braves play their final game, be that Sunday in Houston or Game 7 of the World Series, he must report to jail. (His sentence also will be followed by 28 days in an alcohol rehabilitation center.) think he feels just manager Bobby Cox said Thursday. talked to him, told him that be there for him all the time. Nobody likes to have their name in the paper like that.

As much as we can, like to forget about it and concentrate on baseball. Things will work out very good for him in the Jones again: done something that not too many people have done in a lifetime, and hit a walk-off homer in a playoff game. got to be If he was, Furcal showing it. The game was over now. Maybe other things were on his mind.

Schultz: Furcal rises above limitation RICH ADDICKS Staff Rafael Furcal is about to be tagged at home in the seventh by Astros reliever Brad Lidge. Furcal has four RBIs in the series. GAME 2: BRAVES 4, ASTROS 2 1234567891011RHE Astros10100000000241 Braves000000110024140 DEFINING MOMENTS 1. The game-winner Situation Charles Thomas on second base and two out in the bottom of the 11th inning Result Game-winning home run by Rafael Furcal Comment After falling behind 0-2 in the count, the leadoff hitter took a ball and then picked on the next pitch from veteran right-handed reliever Dan Miceli for the first walk-off homer in Atlanta postseason history. The blast traveled an estimated 380 feet into the right-field seats.

ANALYSIS PITCHING: Braves left-hander Mike Hampton, already pitching with a bad knee, left the game with one out in the seventh inning when his left forearm tightened. He allowed four hits, but two were homers. Roy Oswalt, the National only 20-game winner, allowed eight hits and one run in 6 1 3 innings. He kept the Braves off stride with soft stuff that was more than 25 mph slower than his fastball. HITTING: The Braves outhit Houston 14-4 but left 10 men on base.

In two games, the Braves have left 22 on compared to 10 for the Astros. Jeff opposite-field homer in the first for Houston was the veteran first in the playoffs. Leading off the third inning, Astros catcher Raul Chavez became the 10th player to homer in his first postseason at-bat. With his three hits, Furcal is 4-for-8 with two walks in the two games. DEFENSE: The Braves committed 116 errors in the regular season but have fielded flawlessly in the two playoff games.

The Astros again committed an error, but it prove costly. BULLPEN: Three Braves relievers held the Astros without a hit for 4 2 3 innings. The only Houston baserunners against the bullpen came on a pair of walks by Smoltz in the 10th inning. last hit was by Lance Berkman in the sixth inning, and he was picked off by Hampton. Antonio Alfonseca got the victory after a perfect 11th.

IN THE DUGOUT: Cox had the Braves running in an attempt to jump-start the offense. Furcal and Thomas had stolen bases, but J.D. Drew was thrown out in the eighth inning when the Braves might have taken the lead. Marcus Giles bunted foul on a suicide squeeze attempt in the seventh with Furcal on third. Furcal later tried to score on a pitch that got by the catcher but was out at the plate.

In a surprise move, Houston manager Phil Garner called on closer Lidge with one out in the seventh after Oswalt had thrown only 88 pitches. 2. Sticking with Smoltz Situation No outs and bases empty in the bottom of the ninth inning Result John Smoltz was allowed to hit despite having already pitched two innings. He delivered a leadoff single. Comment Smoltz was stranded at third base, but manager Bobby decision allowed his closer to stay in for another scoreless inning.

It was the second time in his career that Smoltz had pitched three innings as a reliever. 3. Clutch rookie Situation Runners on first and second with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning Result Rookie first baseman Adam LaRoche drove in the tying run with a double off the wall in left-center field. Comment The hit was the third of the game for LaRoche and came off hard-throwing Houston closer Brad Lidge. LaRoche is 4-for-9 against the Astros.

GAME REPORT GUY CURTRIGHT, LaRoche Smoltz Furcal.