Atlanta avoids elimination, edges L.A.
ATLANTA — Freddie Freeman annihilated a ball into the Chop House. While jogging to first base, he clinched both fists, looked over to the Braves dugout and let out a cheer.
He’d waited five years for the chance to restore hope to the Braves faithful.
Freeman’s first-pitch shot spared the Braves. They defeated the Dodgers, 6-5, extending the National League Division Series to Game 4 and winning the first postseason game in SunTrust Park history.
The Braves’ offense, which saw just two runners reach third in the first pair of games, shifted from its aggressive approach in the second frame.
Nick Markakis opened the frame with a walk before Johan Camargo and Kurt Suzuki struck out. Ozzie Albies singled and forced Buehler to walk Charlie Culberson to face pitcher Sean Newcomb. Newcomb stood still as Buehler threw four nonstrikes, plating the Braves’ first run of the series.
On a 3-0 count with the bases still full, Ronald Acuna Jr. withdrew his bat as Buehler bulleted a pitch noticeably above the strike zone. Home plate umpire Gary Cederstrom incorrectly ruled it a strike, extending Acuna’s at-bat.
Acuna skied the next pitch into the left-field seats, erupting a sold-out SunTrust Park.
He became the youngest player in postseason history to hit a grand slam, surpassing a 21-year-old Mickey Mantle in the 1953 World Series.
Newcomb issued a leadoff walk to Kike Hernandez in the third. He retired the next two before walking Chris Taylor and exiting the game.
Kevin Gausman allowed Justin Turner to single on the fifth pitch of the ensuing at-bat, and the ball skated by Acuna. The error plated the Dodgers’ first two runs.
After a clean fourth, Gausman collapsed in the fifth. It began with another leadoff walk and Taylor’s home run pulled the Dodgers within a run. The Braves turned to Max Fried, who served a curveball to slugger Max Muncy, resulting in a tied game.
Just like that, the energy at SunTrust Park was sapped. A night which began with Chipper Jones’ ceremonial first pitch had seemingly windswept into another edition of Atlanta sports futility.
But Freeman shoulder the weight of the franchise, homering in the sixth to keep the Braves alive.
He and Acuna will need an encore, and perhaps more than one, to keep the Braves’ season rolling. The Braves will host Game 4 Monday afternoon, and a victory would send them back to Los Angeles for a winner-take-all Game 5.