It takes a record 13 innings, but Braves finally score to win
ATLANTA >> Freddie Freeman singled home the winning run in the 13th inning, finally ending the longest scoreless duel in postseason history as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Cincinnati Reds 1- 0 in the opener of their NL wildcard series on Wednesday.
The East champion Braves won the first game of a postseason series for the first time since the 2001 NL Division Series and can wrap up the best- of-three series today. If they do, it will snap a record-tying streak of 10 straight playoff round losses.
What began as a pitching showdown between Cy Young contenders Trevor Bauer of the Reds and Atlanta’s Max Fried devolved into a strikeout contest.
The teams combined for a postseason record 37 Ks — 21 by the Braves. After a couple of hits in the 13th against Archie Bradley, Freeman drove one into center field off Amir Garrett against a five-man infield with one out to end a game that dragged on for more than 4 1/2 hours.
A four- time All- Star, Freeman produced another big year in a pandemic-shortened season after a battle with COVID-19 in July so severe that he said he prayed: “Please don’t take me.”
In the 13th, he was in a situation he relishes.
“That’s the guy we want up there,” manager Brian Snitker said.
A. J. Minter escaped a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the top of the 13th for the win.
“That was a very stressful 4 1/2 hours,” Freeman said with a chuckle.
The clubs combined to use 14 pitchers and it lasted so long that the lights came on at Truist Park in the 13th — for a game that began just after noon.