The Braves Take Down the Dodgers

For the first time since 1999, the Atlanta Braves are back in the World Series after their six-game battle against the Los Angeles Dodgers. After coming out strong in the second half of the regular season with an injury-prone team, the Braves managed to defeat every obstacle in their path.

The Braves were the clear underdog in the eyes of Vegas and the press. Especially when in their last 54 matchups, the Dodgers have won 35 of those times. Therefore, it was up to the Braves offense to keep their bats hot and for pitching to remain consistent.

The NLCS began in Atlanta, with SP Max Fried taking the mound and delivering six innings and five strikeouts. Dodger pitching struggled to compete right out of the gate, with RP Corey Knebel only lasting one inning as the opener.

After a wild pitch in the first inning, LF Eddie Rosario stole home, striking early and providing strong momentum for the rest of the team. But it was 3B Austin Riley who secured the win, with a walk-off RBI — the eighth Braves player with a postseason walk-off hit.  Game 2 featured a more substantial challenge, with Dodgers pitcher Max Scherzer set to take the mound. This time, the Dodgers started strong with SS Corey Seager blasting a two-run homer on the first pitch. Seager had been a crucial piece to the Dodgers postseason run and continued to deliver. 

Although, it is Joctober, and if anyone were going to take the lead for the Braves, it would be RF Joc Peterson. The former Dodger hit the longest postseason home run this year at 451 feet and tied it up temporarily in the 4th with a two-run home run. What is so crazy about the Braves is how the same people are pulling all the weight. Rosario singled to score 2B Ozzie Albies and later walked it off for the Braves to further their postseason run.

Once the series moved to the West Coast, however, things started to get shaky for the Braves. Maybe it’s the lack of Waffle Houses in Los Angeles, but the Braves couldn’t contain the Dodgers offense that became alive in the eighth. However, some positives came in the fact that the Braves bats continued to hit and bring in runs. The main issues only come from the Braves relief staff. If they wanted to continue getting wins, they needed to put up more runs than their competitors.

Game 4 featured a blow-out by the Braves offense, with 1B Freddie Freeman finally waking up in the postseason to provide some runs (he hit the game-winning home run in Game 4 of the NLDS but has otherwise struggled). By the nineth, Rosario had two home runs to his name and is slashing a whopping .588/.632/1.059 in the postseason this year. We, as the fans, got a lovely CP Will Smith vs. C Will Smith matchup to end the game, 9-2 Braves.  At this point, I thought it was done, and the Braves had the series in the wraps. Then, Game 5 happened, and I could not understand how the Braves could collapse so badly. Especially after Freeman dished out another home run to be the only Braves player in Game 5 to put up runs, I never anticipated the abysmal pitching performance from Fried. Sacrificing three runs by the second and plunking 2B Trea Turner on the head made me wonder if I was even watching the same pitcher who I expect so much of.

By the 9th, Dodger Stadium was electric as they had a whopping lead of nine and rejuvenated hope going into the final few games. So for Game 6, we headed back to Atlanta, where Waffle House became the big sponsor for the Braves, and everyone at home could once again listen to the dreaded Tomahawk Chop chant every five seconds on the broadcast.

It shouldn’t be surprising that Rosario ran away with the NLCS MVP as he once again deadlifted his team with a three-run home run and recorded 14 hits in a single postseason series, an MLB record. The Dodgers managed to put up two measly runs, but at this point, the Braves have had such a dynamic offense that it’s hard to catch up once you’re behind. Atlanta Braves on Twitter: “Mood. #BattleATL https://t.co/NSSLEnXqTf” / Twitter

Going into the World Series, it has been announced that SP Charlie Morton will start against the Houston Astros for game 1. While I don’t have a particular preference for either team, it should shape up to be a battle of the offenses. The Astros scored 36 runs across six games during the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox and entered the World Series as the favorite. Atlanta has gone 16 straight postseason appearances without winning a championship, the longest streak in baseball history, and they are definitely not bowing out yet.

Cover photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images.