LCS Round Day 9: Atlanta Wins NL Pennant
After the Houston Astros clinched the American League pennant on Friday night, the Atlanta franchise looked to finish business against the Los Angeles Dodgers to book a date with Houston for Tuesday night. Max Scherzer was scratched from the start for LA due to ongoing arm fatigue following his save in Game 5 of the NLDS. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called on Walker Buehler to pitch on three days’ rest for the second time in the 2021 postseason and in Buehler’s MLB career.
Atlanta wins series 4-2
W: Tyler Matzek
L: Buehler
S: Will Smith
Atlanta opened the scoring with Austin Riley‘s RBI ground rule double in the 1st inning.
Cody Bellinger‘s RBI single in the 4th would tie the game.
The home team responded in the bottom of the inning. With two outs and two on, Buehler was ahead of Eddie Rosario with a 1-2 count. Rosario drove a 94 mph cutter into the right field seats to give Atlanta a 4-1 lead, his third home run of the series.
Luke Jackson took over pitching duties for Atlanta in the 7th inning and immediately got himself into trouble, allowing a leadoff double to Chris Taylor and issuing a four-pitch walk to Bellinger. AJ Pollock followed up with a RBI double to score Taylor.
Atlanta manager Brian Snitker replaced Jackson with Matzek, who struck out the next three Dodgers batters to end the scoring threat.
Smith took the mound in the 9th inning and retired the side to record the save and clinch the series for Atlanta.
The Atlanta club was an underdog against the defending champion Dodgers but managed to defeat them thanks to Rosario’s hot streak and effective pitching. Injuries to Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner, Joe Kelly and Scherzer also stretched LA’s considerable depth at the most pivotal time of the season.
Rosario received the National League Championship Series MVP award.
Eddie Rosario has 14 hits in the NLCS, tied for the most by any player in any series in MLB postseason history. pic.twitter.com/xsf16UQpkw
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 24, 2021
Atlanta’s pennant means that reigning National League MVP Freddie Freeman, who was born in California to Canadian parents, will be representing Canada in the World Series.
FREDDIE! pic.twitter.com/IoarzIa60w
— MLB (@MLB) October 24, 2021
The World Series will begin on Tuesday night at 8:08 PM at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Pitching matchups are TBD.
Featured Image: Atlanta, GA, USA: June 12,2021- An entrance to Truist Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The stadium is a ballpark and the home field of Major League Baseball team of Atlanta Braves by WorldTraveler_1 / Shutterstock.com.
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