Before the opening of their three-game series tonight, the San Francisco Giants sent two messages - one subtle and one not so subtle - to the pursuing Atlanta Braves.

The subtle message: they're relaxed. Manager Dusty Baker took some of his players fishing for salmon on San Francisco Bay after Sunday's game. The outing was planned even before the Giants' dramatic 7-6 victory over the Florida Marlins.The not-so-subtle message: Robby Thompson's two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth off one of the league's best closers, Bryan Harvey. Coming on a 1-2 pitch, it provided a surge of momentum for San Francisco heading into tonight's NL West showdown.

"We hope they (the Braves) were watching," Baker said.

And sure enough, the Braves kept pace, beating Chicago 4-3 at Wrigley Field. But baseball's best team since the All-Star break knows it needs little short of a sweep at Candlestick Park to stay in the race and preserve a shot at its third consecutive National League pennant.

"We have to go there, we have to win some games and leave there and win some more games after that," said Atlanta manager Bobby Cox, whose team plays San Francisco six times in 11 days.

Since the break, Atlanta is 26-10, buoyed by a recent nine-game winning streak and the July 20 acquisition of Fred McGriff from the San Diego Padres. Trailing by 10 games on July 22, the Braves pulled within 61/2 on Tuesday, the closest they've been since June 17.

"It's just that they're the world's team right now," Barry Bonds said. "To be able to hold off that kind of team is an accomplishment."

The last two seasons, the Braves have been powerful in the second half, making up a 91/2-game deficit in 1991 to overtake the Dodgers. Any other year, their play would have made a tight race of it, but San Francisco hasn't exactly faltered, going 24-11 since the break to move to 42 games over .500.

"We're still in it," Atlanta pitcher Greg Maddux said. "I don't know if we can catch them, but we're capable of making it pretty hot for them. We'll have to take at least five of six. If we split, we gain no ground and if we take four of six, we'd only make up two games. We need more than that."

San Francisco, which leads the season series 5-2, has led the NL West since May 11. But mindful of infamous collapses like the Philadelphia Phillies' in 1964 and the Chicago Cubs' in 1969, the Giants are well aware of how quickly a big lead can disappear.

"We're going to have to play above .500 baseball," Bonds said. "In our team meeting, we decided we wouldn't want to have it any other way. They are making us a better team."

Baker is sending two left-handers with just 13 wins combined to start against the Braves' two lefties, Steve Avery and Tom Glavine. Avery has both the Braves' wins against San Francisco this season.

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The Giants will send Trevor Wilson (7-4) against Avery (13-4), who has beaten them twice this season, tonight. Then it's Bryan Hickerson (6-4) versus Glavine (14-5), and Maddux (14-9) will face right-hander Bill Swift (17-5) to cap the set.

"It's a huge series. It's even more huge now that we've kept it to 71/2," said Atlanta's John Smoltz, who beat the Cubs on Sunday. "They have momentum and we have momentum. I just wish I were pitching."

San Francisco, which is pursuing its first division title since 1989 after winning just 72 games last year, knows the pressure is all on the Braves.

"We've been very methodical and very resilient," first baseman Will Clark said. "I can't stress it enough - this team basically lets nothing get to them."

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