The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
NEEDTOKNOW
There will be a Game 7. The Dodgers have won two straight in the National League Championship Series, which stands at 3-3 with one game left. Buckle up tonight.
Here’s what you need to know about the Braves loss:
Missed (huge) opportunity
The Braves loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the second inning after three straight singles by Travis d’Arnaud, Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson. They were primed to answer the Dodgers’ 3-run bottom of the fifirst.
No.
Austin Riley struck out swinging, Nick Markakis stuck out looking and Cristian Pache grounded out to shortstop to end the threat.
Another defensive gem
Dodgers right fifielder Mookie Betts robbed an extra-base hit from Marcell Ozuna in the fififth inning with a leaping grab at the wall. The ball would not have gone out, but may have led to a run with Freddie Freeman running with two outs from fifirst. Instead, the inning was over and the Dodgers had more momentum.
Remember: It was Betts who made a shoestring catch and caught Ozuna leaving third base early in Game 5, too.
Don’t see that every day
In the sixth inning, Albies hit a slow grounder down the fifirst base line. Dodgers fifirst baseman Max Muncy came in to fifield the ball and tagged Albies as he passed. However, the ball came out of Muncy’s glove. Albies continued on and rounded fifirst base to head back to the dugout, unaware he was safe. Pitcher Walker Buehler picked up the ball and tagged out Albies.
Notable
■ Swanson went 3 for 3 against Buehler. The two were roommates at Vanderbilt.
■ The Braves are now 13-2 in games started by Max Fried this season.
■ Fried gave up four hits in
the decisive fifirst inning. He gave up just four more over his fifinal 5⅔ innings. The Dodgers managed just one more hit offff relievers Chris Martin and Shane Greene.
■ The Dodgers’ Corey Seager hit his fififth home run and drove in his 11th run of the series in the fifirst inning. His
fifive home runs and 11 RBIs this series are the most ever for a player in a single NLCS.
‘Without a doubt. I’ve got 100% confidence in Ian Anderson.’
— Max Fried on the Braves’ Game 7 starter
‘It’s just goingtobe about bearing down andfindingaway.’
— Ian Anderson on the final game of the NLCS Quotables