On September 17, 1997, Pérez hit a grand slam home run against the San Francisco Giants, enabling the Braves to tie a major league team record with 11 grand slams in one season. With Pérez as his catcher, Maddux ended the year with a 2.20 earned run average, second best in the National League, as the Braves once again clinched the National League East Division crown. The Braves swept the Houston Astros in three games in the 1997 National League Division Series before losing to the eventual world champion Florida Marlins in the 1997 National League Championship Series.