Another excruciating sports setback for the A-T-L

ATLANTA (AP) — At this point, Atlanta sports fans should be numb to the disappointment.

They've been through it so many times.

Yet, somehow, this city's teams keep finding ways to take the misery index to new heights.

A 10-spot in the very first inning?

Can you believe it?

Returning home with another chance to claim their first postseason series victory since 2001, the Braves were wiped out in the decisive game of the NL Division Series before many in the sellout crowd of more than 43,000 had even settled into their seats at SunTrust Park.

The St. Louis Cardinals scored 10 runs their first time up — the first time that's ever happened in a big league postseason game.

"Very disappointing," said Braves manager Brian Snitker, sounding a bit numb after a 13-1 rout. "We all had such great expectations coming into today. Everybody was looking forward to it. I think everybody was ready. And you can't plan for that."

Indeed, no one saw it coming.

Then again, maybe they should have.

After all, this was an Atlanta team and a big-time game.

That's rarely a good combination.

"Everything went wrong," said Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, who made a key error that helped open the floodgates in Wednesday night's debacle.

To be fair, the A-T-L has managed two major professional championships: the Braves in the World Series way back in 1995 and soccer's Atlanta United, which captured the MLS Cup title last December.

But the failures far outweigh those rare successes.

The NFL Falcons, who've been around since 1966, have managed just two Super Bowl appearances — and both ended badly.

Very, very badly.

During the 1998 season, a team known affectionately as the "Dirty Birds" reached the title game against John Elway and the...

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