Giants top Braves to reach NLCS as Cox's career ends

ATLANTA - The San Francisco Giants won another thriller, again with help from some shaky Atlanta defense, and they're off to the NL Championship Series for the first time since 2002.

For Bobby Cox, there are no more games.

Cody Ross homered and drove in the go-ahead run with a seventh-inning single, leading the Giants to a 3-2 victory in Game 4 last night and wrapping up an NL Division Series that was tight and tense to the very last out.

Every game was decided by one run, but the Giants won three of them to take the best-of-five series and earn a shot against the two-time defending NL champion Phillies. Game 1 is Saturday in Philadelphia and features a marquee matchup: Tim Lincecum vs. Roy Halladay.

After Melky Cabrera grounded out with two runners aboard to end the series and Cox's career, the fans chanted, "Bobby! Bobby! Bobby!"

The retiring manager finally came out of the dugout and tipped his cap. Even the Giants halted their celebration, clapping for Cox and tipping their caps from the winning side of the field.

"Thank You, Bobby Cox," the giant video board said as "Georgia on My Mind" played throughout the stadium.

Cox choked up as he talked about taking off his No. 6 uniform for the last time.

"I won't put it on again," he said.

Asked if he addressed his players, Cox said, his voice cracking: "I did it the best I could. I told them I was really proud of them."

Atlanta starter Derek Lowe pitched no-hit ball into the sixth inning, and still it wasn't enough. The Braves have yet to win at Turner Field with a series on the line, losing for the eighth straight time in that situation since the Ted opened to baseball in 1997. Cox won't get a chance to end that streak, deciding more than a year ago to call it a career at age 69.

The Braves couldn't blame this one on Brooks Conrad. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez made a couple of errors - including a high throw in the deciding seventh that got Ross to the plate with two outs. He delivered a bases-loaded single to left, driving in the tiebreaking run.

Conrad didn't start after making three errors in Game 3, which the Braves were one out from winning to take the lead in the series. The last of those let in the winning run in San Francisco's 3-2 victory, a stunning turnaround that gave the upper hand back to the Giants.

They didn't let it slip away, even after falling behind twice in Game 4 with rookie Madison Bumgarner on the mound. The 21-year-old lefty allowed six hits and two runs in six innings.