The two-game suspension ate away at Tommy like corrosive acid. He didn’t think he was being treated fairly and couldn’t wait to clear his name. That day would finally arrive when he took the mound to start Game 2 against the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
“I think he’ll be fine,” pitching coach Blasingame assured Showalter two days before the Series began. “He’s on the road, away from home-crowd pressure, and he’s pitching in a big ballpark against a team that hasn’t seen him yet.”
The Atlanta rotation seemed set, but the Dodgers threw a monkey wrench into the plans by beating Barnwell in the opener, 6–2. They knocked him out quickly with a five-run second inning.
“I want to make some pitching adjustments,” Showalter said afterward. “We have to handle this Series di
