Braves hold on to take 2-0 lead
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.
Melancon came on with two outs after Corey Seager’s RBI double and Max Muncy’s two-run 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, with 24-year-old 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 bestof-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 Melancon again caught the ball. And that solo shot proved huge since the Dodgers scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth.
Anderson allowed one hit and struck out five, but walked five while throwing 85 pitches in four innings. The 22-year-old righthander 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, trailed7-0until 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 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.
Braves’ Duvall out
ARLINGTON,TEXAS» Atlanta outfielder Adam Duvall will miss the rest of the postseason because of an injury to his left side.
He was replaced on the roster for the NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers by infielder Johan Camargo. Duvall will not be eligible to play in the rest of the postseason.