By MIKE LOPRESTI, Gannett
SPORTS COLUMN
And on Thursday, the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox rested.
A respite from meltdown, if you will, for they have come to the last fork in the regular-season road, and the issue is which way to go -- stumbling into the playoffs or tumbling into infamy.
Anyone here ever judge a diving competition?
This has been like watching two synchronized full-gainers off the high board. Matter of fact, let's put them side by side and see who might be about to land the best belly-flop.
Boston had a nine-game lead for the American League wild card on Sept. 3.
The Red Sox are 4-14 since, and awoke Thursday with the margin down to a two-and-a-half-game lead over Tampa Bay and the Los Angeles Angels.
Atlanta had an eight-and-a-half-game lead for the National League wildcard on Sept. 5.
The Braves are 6-10 since, and awoke Thursday with the margin down to one-and-a-half games over St. Louis.
The Red Sox share the major-league lead in runs scored in September with 122.
But they've gone 5-16.
The Braves keep playing them close.
But they've lost six games by one run this month.
Boston's pitching appears to be crumbling.
Its September earned-run average of 5.98 is the worst in the sport. Starter John Lackey is 0-2 with a 10.70 ERA. The Red Sox have allowed at least six runs in 12 of the past 15 games.
Atlanta's pitching appears to be fading.
Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson are hurt. The other starters have made too many early exits, so the bullpen is on fumes. Rookie closer Craig Kimbrel carried a 37 2/3-inning scoreless streak earlier this month, but his September ERA is 4.66.
Boston has been trying to hit its way out of trouble.
But Carl Crawford remains a conspicuous free-agent bust with a .259 average.
Atlanta has been trying to swing its way out of disaster.
But the September team average is .244, and all-star catcher Brian McCann is hitting .185.
The Red Sox recently had the chance to finish off Tampa Bay.
They lost six of seven meetings.
The Braves had the chance to put away St. Louis for good.
They scored nine runs in three games and were swept.
For the Red Sox, it has gotten so bad, they've had to root for the Yankees. Only the Rays getting swept in the Bronx this week prevented full-blown panic.
For the Braves, it has gotten so bad, they might have to root for the 102-loss Houston Astros. They're the Cardinals' final opponents.
In Boston, they're mystified.
"If you would have told me in August this would happen in September,'' David Ortiz told reporters. "I would have laughed at you.''
In Atlanta, they're confounded.
"We've definitely kind of made it tough on ourselves,'' Derek Lowe told reporters.
You wonder what happens if either gets through.
Will the Red Sox, with shattered pitching, be quick work for Texas or the Detroit Verlanders in the first round?
Is the Braves' bullpen so weary and its lineup so meek, they'll have no answer for Milwaukee or Arizona?
But that's for next week. This week, the issue is survival.
And here come the diving judges' scores:
The Braves get a 9.0, the Red Sox a 9.5. Boston is marked higher since Atlanta has the excuse of missing two key starting pitchers.
Both teams need to act fast, because nobody wants to be the newest member of the Collapse Club.
Peer inside the door and you can see some of the old faces:
The 1964 Phillies, who were six-and-a-half games ahead with 12 to play, but dropped 10 in a row.
The 1995 California Angels, who were ahead by 11 games on Aug. 9 but finished 12-27 with two nine-game losing streaks.
The 2007 Mets, who went 5-12 to blow a seven-game lead.
The 2009 Tigers, who lost a three-game lead with four to play.
The 1978 Red Sox, who squandered a 14-game lead over the Yankees.
The 1969 Cubs, who in the last seven weeks imploded from nine-and-a-half games ahead of the Mets to eight games behind.
It's a crowded place, but there's always room for more.
Contact Mike Lopresti at mlopresti@gannett.com.