ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves again failed to get it done in October. The team with 11 straight division titles — and five pennants in that span — was unable to advance the World Series for the third straight season, losing 3-1 to the San Francisco Giants on Monday night in Game 5 of the NL division series.

        The Braves didn't get the timely hit or the dominating pitching they needed, stranding 11 runners through seven innings. They loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth but failed to score, and left two on in the first, fourth, sixth and seventh.

        “We're to a point in this clubhouse where the regular season doesn't matter,” Chipper Jones said. “We're measured on how you do in the postseason, and we didn't get it done.”

        This past offseason, Atlanta traded for Gary Sheffield, hoping to give the offense a boost in the postseason. But Sheffield went 1-for-16 in the series, his only hit a solo homer in the opener. He also grounded into a double play with two on to end that game, which the Giants won 8-5.

        He struck out in the ninth inning of Game 5 with runners on first and third and no outs.

        “When those two guys got on, I felt like we were going to win the ballgame,” Sheffield said. “It just didn't work out that way.”

        Manager Bobby Cox didn't help by leaving two of his top hitters, Mark DeRosa and Matt Franco, on the bench for most of the series. DeRosa started Game 2 against lefty Kirk Rueter and went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs, but was relegated to pinch-hitting duty when Cox decided to start Keith Lockhart at second in the other games.

        Lockhart played respectably, batting .333 and driving in four runs in the third game, which the Braves won 10-2.

        Franco, who hit .331 in 50 starts at first base, didn't get into the lineup at all. Forty-something Julio Franco was Cox's choice in all five games and went 4-for-22.

        “We left too many guys on base,” Chipper Jones said. “We had our chances. We put ourselves in position, we just couldn't capitalize.”

        A pitching staff that again led the league in ERA was shaky, too. Tom Glavine was hit hard in two starts, both Atlanta losses, and closer John Smoltz wasn't a factor, mopping up in a Game 2 victory and pitching two scoreless innings in the final defeat.

        “I like to pitch, and in this series, it didn't work out,” Smoltz said. “I'm not just disappointed for me, I'm disappointed for a lot of guys. I'm proud of a lot of guys in this clubhouse.”

        For the series, the Braves had an ERA of 4.91.

        Kevin Millwood, masterful in Game 2, came back on three days' rest for the deciding game and pitched five solid innings. He gave up two runs and four hits and struck out seven, but it wasn't enough.

        “This was the best team we've had since I've been here, all around,” Millwood said. “The way the guys were swinging the bats, I thought we had a pretty good chance to come back.”

        Glavine and Greg Maddux, stalwarts of the staff for years, are free agents, and re-signing both may be more than the team's budget will allow.

        “I'll worry about that when the time's right,” Maddux said. “It's not now. It's soon. Real soon. It's really not appropriate right now.”

Reassignment irks Rodgers FSN, Reds working to add 15 TV games A postseason to warm misers' hearts Bonds has nothing to prove Braves endure another postseason disappointment Underdogs shake up baseball's postseason Cardinals not optimistic about Rolen's return for NLCS Twins, Angels savor their moment in sun Twins' Hocking out with injured finger ALCS preview NLCS preview Mets given OK to interview Randolph for manager post DJ fired for on-air prank

Familiar figure is preparing to coach
UC's bowl chances rest with road performance
Southern Miss-UC game moved to 1 p.m.
Musketeers addressing questions
Simple offense yields results
LeBeau smiles at speculation
Winless Bengals encouraged by latest loss
Dirt on grass at stadium: It'll stay
Browns' Couch doesn't back down
Colts still trying to plug holes in porous run defense
Power shifts to West; AFC looking best
Packers 34, Bears 21
Four RedHawks earn weekly honors
Louisville is hot, Memphis is not
UK Wildcats refocus after much-needed off-week
College football Top 25 schedule
USOC chief will work 'aggressively' for female members at Augusta
Wall Street financier has all the right connections
Blue Jackets sign top pick Nash
Penguins move Kovalev to center
Knicks fine Sprewell $250,000, order him away from team
Silvis eyes goal for record
High school polls
High school results

• Return to Reds front page...