Panda! Sandoval helps Braves sweep doubleheader against Nats
Atlanta pinch-hitter Pablo Sandoval drove a two-run homer to the deepest part of the ballpark off a Washington reliever who took over after Stephen Strasburgโs six scoreless innings to lift the Braves to a 2-0 victory over the Nationals and a doubleheader sweep.
Smith off Smith, Seager 2 HRs as Dodgers beat Braves in NLCS
(AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)ARLINGTON, Texas โ One Will Smith outdid another Will Smith to keep the season alive for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The four homers are already a record for a shortstop in any postseason series. Minter struck out seven of the 10 batters he faced as the first pitcher in MLB history whose first start came in a postseason game. The last was Steve Yeager in Game 5 of the 1981 World Series of Ron Guidry of the New York Yankees. The other was Roy Campanella, who did it twice: in Game 3 of the 1953 World Series and Game 3 of the 1955 World Series.
Braves' 1st playoff loss a doozy, 15-3 to LA in NLCS Game 3
(AP Photo/Eric Gay)ARLINGTON, Texas โ The Baby Braves were the Battered Braves in their first loss of these playoffs. The 15 runs allowed in the first three innings were more than the Braves permitted in their first seven postseason games combined. And those 13 previous runs included seven scored by Los Angeles in the final three innings of Atlanta's 8-7 win in Game 2. Bartolo Colon (seven runs) and Steve Reed (eight) did it with Cleveland in a 23-7 loss to Boston in Game 4 of the 1999 ALDS. Snitker seemed to suggest a bullpen game was possible, depending on how deep Wilson gets into Game 4.
Freeman, Albies HR again, Braves hang on for 2-0 NLCS lead
Freddie Freeman also homered for the second night in a row, and the streaking Braves beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-7 on Tuesday to take a 2-0 lead in the National League Championship Series. โI didnโt feel good with a big lead because these guys are too powerful, and thatโs a good ballgame to win. All previous 14 teams to win the first two games of a best-of-seven NLCS went on to take the pennant. Kyle Wright, another rookie right-hander, is on the mound for the Braves, who have outscored opponents 37-13 in the playoffs. ... Freeman and Albies joined Swanson and dโArnaud by homering in back-to-back Braves games this postseason.
Braves grown up a bit for NLCS matchup against the Dodgers
(AP Photo/Eric Gay)ARLINGTON, Texas โ Those Baby Braves that faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the playoffs two years ago have grown up a little bit, and have even won a couple of postseason series. โWeโre really, really strong. There will still be no fans for the AL Championship Series games in San Diego. That allotment sold out for Game 1 and three other NLCS games so far, as well as all every World Series game. SHORT HOPSBraves third base coach Ron Washington was manager of the Texas Rangers from 2007-14, including their only World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011.
Anderson sharp, Markakis alert, Braves blank Miami, lead 2-0
Atlanta Braves' Ian Anderson delivers a pitch during the fourth inning in Game 2 of a baseball National League Division Series against the Miami Marlins Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020, in Houston. Anderson blanked Miami into the sixth inning, Markakis made a nifty play in right field to help preserve the lead late, and the Braves threw another playoff shutout in a 2-0 victory Wednesday for a 2-0 lead in the NL Division Series. โItโs hard to bunch hits together, pitching is too good,โ Braves manager Brian Snitker said. Miami manager Don Mattingly didn't fault Dickerson for being thrown out because he said Markakis could've dived to catch it. On a day when Atlanta got only four hits, Swanson and dโArnaud provided the offense.
Acuรฑa HR, plunked again, Braves top Marlins 9-5 to open NLDS
Acuรฑa got things going for the Braves in the bottom of the first when he sent Alcantaraโs second pitch into right-center for a homer. Braves manager Brian Snitker said that even though he didnโt believe this pitch was on purpose, the Marlins have hit Acuรฑa far too many times. The Braves trailed 4-3 in the seventh before Austin Riley and Acuรฑa hit consecutive singles with no outs to chase Alcantara. The shot caused the Braves dugout to erupt with Acuรฑa jumping over the railing to celebrate. UP NEXTRight-hander Pablo Lopez will make his postseason debut when he starts for the Marlins in Game 2 against Ian Anderson.
Finally! Freeman, Braves top Reds 1-0 in 13th to open series
Atlanta Braves Freddie Freeman (5)runs the to first after hiting a game-winning base hit against the Cincinnati Reds in the 13th inning during Game 1 of a National League wild-card baseball series, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)ATLANTA โ Freddie Freeman singled home the winning run in the 13th inning, finally ending the longest scoreless duel in postseason history as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 in the opener of their NL wild-card series on Wednesday. The East champion Braves won the first game of a postseason series for the first time since the 2001 NL Division Series and can wrap up the best-of-three series on Thursday. It was historic as the first postseason game to be scoreless after 11 innings, but hardly a masterpiece. He allowed just one hit past the infield, setting a Cincinnati postseason record with 12 strikeouts.
Braves quickly set franchise mark for most runs in game
Atlanta Braves' Ozzie Albies, left and Ronald Acuna Jr. walk to dugout after scoring during the fourth inning the team's a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)ATLANTA The Braves have set the franchise record for runs in a game, and they needed only six innings to set the mark. That was the highest run total for the Braves in their all-time history in Boston, Milwaukee and Atlanta. On Sept. 2, 1957, the Milwaukee Braves, the eventual World Series champions, beat the Chicago Cubs 23-10 to set the Braves' all-time record for runs in a game. The old Atlanta record was 20 runs, most recently against the Marlins on Oct. 5, 2001.