Series Struggles
Dodgers’ rally falls short, Atlanta up 2-0
ARLINGTON, Texas — Freddie Freeman and Ozzie Albies homered again, rookie Ian Anderson extended his postseason scoreless streak in an abbreviated start and the Atlanta Braves just held on for an 8-7 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night and a 2-0 lead in the National League Championship Series.
Freeman put the Braves ahead to stay with a two-run homer in the fourth off rookie Tony Gonsolin, who filled in after three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw was scratched because of back spasms. Freeman added an RBI single as part of a four-run outburst an inning later.
Albies homered in the ninth for the second night in a row, and for the second time in a row the ball was caught in the bullpen by closer Mark Melancon. That solo shot proved huge for the Braves, who led 7-0 but near squandered the lead as the Dodgers scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth.
Melacon came on with two outs after Corey Seager’s RBI double and Max Muncy’s tworun homer. Albies made a fielding error on Will Smith’s grounder to second, and reigning NL MVP Cody Bellinger hit an RBI triple. AJ Pollock then hit a game-ending groundout to end a 4-hour, 12-minute game.
Atlanta became just the fourth team in major league history to begin a postseason 7-0. The Braves have outscored opponents 37-12.
Game 3 is Wednesday night, with 24-yearold playoff veteran Julio Urías pitching for the
Dodgers against Kyle Wright, another rookie right-hander for the Braves. There have been 14 teams take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven NLCS, and all have gone on to win the pennant.
Freddie Freeman and Ozzie Albies homered again, rookie Ian Anderson extended his postseason scoreless streak in an abbreviated start and the Atlanta Braves held on for an 8-7 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series.
Freeman put the Braves ahead to stay with a two-run homer in the fourth off rookie Tony Gonsolin, who filled in after three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw was scratched because of back spasms. Freeman added an RBI single as part of a four-run outburst an inning later.
Albies homered in the ninth for the second night in a row, both into the Atlanta bullpen where closer Mark Melancon again caught the ball. And that solo shot proved huge since the Dodgers scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth.
Melacon came on with two outs after Corey Seager’s RBI double and Max Muncy’s two-run homer. Second baseman Albies then had a fielding error on Will Smith’s grounder before reigning NL MVP Cody Bellinger hit an RBI triple. AJ Pollock then grounded out to end the game.
Game 3 is Wednesday night, with 24-year-old playoff veteran Julio Urias pitching for the Dodgers against Kyle Wright, another rookie right-hander for the Braves. There have been 14 teams take a 2-0 lead in the bestof-seven NLCS, and all have gone on to win the pennant.
Freeman was hit on an elbow by Alex Wood in the eighth and was shaken up but stayed in the game.
Anderson allowed one hit and struck out five, but walked five while throwing 85 pitches in four innings. The 22-year-old right-hander didn’t come out for the fifth after Braves batted around in the top of the frame, building a 6-0 lead while tying a LCS record with four walks in the inning.
The Dodgers, who had the best record in the pandemicshortened season, trailed 7-0 until Seager’s three-run homer to greet A.J. Minter in the seventh.
Only seven weeks after his big league debut with the Braves, Anderson has pitched 15 2/3 scoreless innings and is only the second pitcher in major league history to start his postseason career not allowing a run in three consecutive starts of at least four innings. The other was Hall of Fame right-hander
Christy Mathewson, who threw three shutouts in the 1905 World Series for the New York Giants.
Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw scratched from Game 2 start in NLCS
ARLINGTON, Texas — Clayton Kershaw was scratched Tuesday from his start for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 2 of the NL Championship Series due to back spasms, though manager Dave Roberts said the likelihood is very good their ace lefty will pitch in the series.
The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner initially felt spasms after a bullpen session Saturday, three days after he went six innings to win Game 2 of the National League Division Series against San Diego. Roberts said Kershaw has felt better each day since but wasn’t ready to make the scheduled start against the Atlanta Braves.
ALCS: Astros vs. Rays, late Tampa Bay leads series 2-0 Monday Braves 5, Dodgers 1
ARLINGTON, Texas — Austin Riley led off the ninth inning with a tiebreaking homer that sparked a four-run outburst, and the Atlanta Braves opened their first National League Championship Series since 2001 with a 5-1 win over the Los
Angeles Dodgers on Monday night.
Riley, the No. 9 batter in the Braves lineup, hit a 448-drive to left-center off Blake Treinen, who had just entered the game, drawing a loud reaction and some tomahawk-chop chants from the first fans allowed to attend a major league game this season.
The Braves weren’t done after Riley’s homer made it 2-1. Ronald Acuña Jr. followed with a double and scored on a single by Marcell Ozuna that chased Treinen before Ozzie Albies’ two-run homer off Jake McGee.
In a matchup of teams that ranked 1-2 in the majors during the regular season for both runs and homers, and in the first NLCS opener since 2007 with both teams undefeated in the postseason, the Braves had another impressive pitching performance even without a shutout.
Will Smith, the third Braves pitcher, worked a perfect eighth before Mark Melancon closed it out. Atlanta has allowed a total of six runs while winning all six of its playoff games.
Before the ninth, the only runs had been a pair of solo homers. Freddie Freeman went deep for Atlanta in the first and Kiké Hernández led off the Dodgers fifth with a homer.