Ozuna goes from playoff enemy to hero for Braves
That Marcell Ozuna was known to display some destructive behavior in the postseason was no secret to the Atlanta Braves. He certainly wrecked them while with the St. Louis Cardinals last year, hitting .476 in a National League Division Series that ended disastrously for Atlanta.
His two home runs in Game 4 helped the Cardinals avoid elimination with a 5- 4 victory, and his RBI single started the scoring in a 10- run first inning in Game 5 on the way to a 13-1 win to take the series last October.
Thursday night in Arlington, Texas, he used his postseason powers for good in relation to the Braves, supplying hits and spirit in a 10-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series. With the resounding rebound from a humbling 15- 3 loss the day before, Atlanta was one win from its first World Series appearance since 1999.
Regardless of what uniform he’s wearing, Ozuna
enjoys October.
“It’s a time you’re not going to have every year. God gave me the opportunity to play ( in the postseason) two years in a row. I have to do my best,” he said Thursday night after he was done damaging the Dodgers, who failed to draw even with ace Clayton Kershaw on the mound.
Ozuna, a 29- yearold outfielder from the Dominican Republic, has made the most of MLB’s allowance of the designated hitter in NL ballparks this year, one of the rules altered during the coronavirus-altered 2020 season. The Braves have used him
extensively in that slot, including in all of their playoff games so far.
With Atlanta needing something to feel good about after giving up 11 runs in the first inning of Game 3 against the Dodgers, Ozuna reprised his two- homer night of last season, adding an RBI single and an RBI double to his haul Thursday. His totals of four hits and four RBIs marked the first such game in Braves postseason history, and it was the eighth multihomer game in Braves postseason history, but the first since Chipper Jones hit a pair of two- run home runs in a 2001 NLDS against the
Chicago Cubs.
Reporting to work the day after what could have been the type of loss that lingers into the next game, Ozuna set the same tone has he has all season as the club’s big one- year freeagent acquisition.
“Come in happy, and give best to my teammates and pump it up,” he said.
Rookie right- hander Bryse Wilson was another big reason the Braves settled in and bounced back, going six innings in his first postseason start and allowing one hit — a homer — and a walk while striking out five batters. He got the win thanks to a six- run sixth in which Ozuna’s RBI double kept things rolling after Freddie Freeman’s RBI double gave Atlanta the lead for good.
“The energy he brings is unbelievable,” Wilson said of Ozuna. “It’s translated throughout the whole team. This team is so much fun to be around, and he’s a big part of it for sure.”
Ozuna had been uncharacteristically quiet at the plate for the Braves, though, hitting just .200 with one home run in their eight playoff games before Thursday. He decided to skip regular batting practice ahead of Game 4, heading instead to the batting cage to work on his trouble out of sight.
“I was struggling a little, jumping forward. I swing crazy,” he said. “I stayed inside and hit in the cage off the machine, ( working on) staying a little bit more back the way I was before the season ended, and got some success.”
He backed up all the positivity he brought to the park with production. On display was the Ozuna who led the NL in both home runs ( 18) and RBI ( 56) during the 60- game regular season.
“What he did to the middle of our lineup — I don’t think you could go out and find anybody that did more for our club this year than Marcell,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said.
Every big hit is a chance for Ozuna to celebrate, including his imaginary selfies after scoring a run, a schtick Ozuna began during the two- game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds in the wild- card round and continued as the Braves swept the Miami Marlins in the NLDS.
“It’s another idea to have fun,” he said. “Let’s go.”