Riley lifts Braves in NLCS opener
A couple of clutch swings from breakout slugger Austin Riley got the underdog Atlanta Braves off to a fast start in the NL Championship Series.
Riley homered and drove in the winning run with a single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Atlanta a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 on Saturday night.
Blake Treinen struck out Freddie Freeman to open the ninth before giving up Ozzie Albies’ bloop single to center field. Albies stole second and Riley followed with his line drive into the left-field corner.
“That was my mindset — put something in play and see what happens,” Riley said after delivering the first walk-off hit of his career.
The 24-year-old slugger spread his arms in celebration as he rounded first base before getting mobbed by teammates in a happy swarm that carried into shallow center field.
“You dream of that as a little kid,” Riley said.
Albies told first-base coach Eric Young Sr. he would be taking off to steal second so he could get in scoring position.
“I knew [Riley] was going to do the job,” Albies said.
“As soon as he hit it, I took off. I started yelling, screaming all the way to home plate.”
Riley also homered in the fourth. The third baseman set career highs across the board for NL East champion Atlanta this year in his third major league season, batting
.303 with 33 homers, 107 RBIs and an .898 OPS in a league-leading 160 games.
“He’s come a long way in a short time, I feel like. Even last year, I think that he didn’t have all these tools. He can beat you in so many ways now, and he always had that power, but now he’s putting together such good at-bats,” Dodgers infielder Trea Turner said.
“He’s a polished hitter and hats off to him because I think he’s gotten to the point where he’s been a really good player and there’s a reason why fans are chanting MVP for him.”
Riley’s big game was especially important as Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman struck out four times against four different Los Angeles pitchers after having only one four-strikeout game in the regular season.
Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said Riley has proven he can take that lead role.
“I think that kid has definitely taken the next step forward,” Snitker said.
The teams are meeting in the NL Championship Series for the second consecutive season. The Dodgers rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win last year’s playoff in seven games before also winning the World Series.
RED SOX SLAM ASTROS TO TIE ALCS
Red Sox 9, Astros 5: J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers helped the Red Sox have a grand old time in Houston.
Boston became the first team to slug two grand slams in a postseason game, with Martinez, a Pembroke Pines Flanagan High grad, who also attended Nova Southeastern, and Devers connecting in the first two innings of a 9-5 win over the Astros on Saturday that tied their AL Championship Series at one game apiece.
Game 3 is Monday night in Boston. It’s the first of three consecutive home games for the Red Sox, back in the playoffs for the first time since winning the 2018 World Series after downing Houston in the ALCS.