The Braves loaded the bases in the eighth off Wood on a strike-three wild pitch and two walks, but scored only one run on Chipper Jones's forceout off Mike Remlinger.

Kyle Farnsworth stranded the bases loaded while Joe Borowski pitched a scoreless ninth to give the Cubs a series lead.

However, Mark DeRosa's clutch two-out, two-run double off Dave Veres in the bottom half put the Braves ahead 5–3 and Smoltz finished it with a perfect ninth.

In the bottom of the first, the Cubs put two runs on the board thanks to Randall Simon's two-run single, but neither team could score off Maddux or Prior again until the eighth inning.

Wrigley Field in Chicago In Game 4, Russ Ortiz faced Matt Clement, hoping to end the series.

Karros's second home run of the game in the bottom of the inning off Will Cunnane made it 6–3 Braves, then back-to-back leadoff doubles by Randall Simon and Damian Miller off John Smoltz in the ninth made it 6–4, but Smoltz retired the next three hitters with the final out being a long fly ball to center field off the bat of Sosa to end the game and send the series back to Atlanta.

[11] 2003 NLDS (3–2): Chicago Cubs over Atlanta Braves The Florida Marlins completed their second winning season in franchise history.

Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco In Game 1, Josh Beckett faced Jason Schmidt and a classic pitcher's duel began.

Two walks to lead off spelled doom for Beckett, as an error by Miguel Cabrera on Edgardo Alfonzo's single allowed a run to score to make it 1–0 Giants.

Alfonzo brought in the game's other run on an RBI double in the eighth off Chad Fox after Barry Bonds was intentionally walked with two outs.

The game then quieted until the bottom of the fourth when Edgardo Alfonzo doubled in two runs after a single and walk and then scored on Marquis Grissom's groundout.

In the ninth, center fielder Marquis Grissom's error on Lee's fly ball with two on allowed another run to score off Jim Brower.

Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida In Game 3, Kirk Rueter faced Mark Redman.

The game moved to extra innings and the Giants took the lead in the eleventh thanks to an error by Álex González, allowing a run to score on Edgardo Alfonzo's single off Braden Looper.

The Marlins would strike back in the bottom half off Tim Worrell: an error by Cruz, San Francisco's Gold Glove right fielder, and a walk put two men on with nobody out.

A sacrifice bunt moved the runners over, and the Giants would counter by intentionally walking Juan Pierre to load the bases and set up a force out.

However, Rich Aurilia's error on Jeff Conine's ground ball allowed Miguel Cabrera, who doubled to lead off, to score to tie the game in the bottom half.

In the fourth, the Marlins took a commanding 5–1 lead on Cabrera's bases-loaded two-run single, but Willis ran into trouble in the top of the sixth.

For the first time in postseason history, a series ended with the potential tying run thrown out at the plate, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.