Dodgers off to great start
LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers overpowered the Nationals on the mound and at the plate, extending the dominance that led to a franchiserecord 106 victories in the regular season right on into the playoffs. Walker Buehler allowed one hit over six innings, Max Muncy drove in three runs and Los Angeles capitalized on mistakes to beat Washington 6-0 in Game 1 of their NL Division Series on Thursday night. “Oh, they’re good. They’re really good,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “That’s why they have been in the postseason so many years in a row.” Buehler struck out eight, walked three and retired his final seven batters after earning the start over veterans Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu, whose 2.32 ERA was lowest in the majors this season. “Walker, time and time again, just knows how to temper, control his emotions and transfer that into the delivery, the execution of pitches,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. Dodgers rookie Gavin Lux and Joc Pederson slugged pinch-hit solo homers in the eighth.
Nationals first baseman Howie Kendrick had two grounders roll under his glove, the second leading to the Dodgers’ second run in the fifth.
In Atlanta, back in the playoffs for the first time since 2015, the St. Louis Cardinals look as gritty as ever.
The Atlanta Braves also started down a familiar path.
Marcell Ozuna and Kolten Wong each hit two-run doubles in the ninth inning as the Cardinals overcame shaky defense and a wild finish to extend Atlanta’s postseason misery, holding off the Braves 7-6 in Game 1 of the NL Division Series on Thursday night.
The Cardinals fell behind 3-1 – hurt by their normally reliable defense. But Paul Goldschmidt homered in the eighth, sparking a two-run outburst that tied it 3. In the ninth, the Cardinals blew it open against Braves closer Mark Melancon.
Dexter Fowler and Tommy Edman singled before Goldschmidt walked on four pitches to load the bases with one out. Melancon got ahead of Ozuna with two quick strikes, only to give up a liner just inside the third-base bag that put St. Louis ahead for the first time.
Wong finished off Melancon with another tworun double, this one down the right-field line.