NLDS Rundown: Brewers Sweep Rockies; Atlanta Forces Game 4

Sunday’s MLB playoff action featured two potential series sweeps in the National League Division Series. The Milwaukee Brewers came into Colorado and completed the sweep with their second shutout of the Rockies, while the Dodgers fell into a five-run hole early but came back to tie the game in the top of the 5th only to fall behind for good thanks to the go-ahead solo shot by INF Freddie Freeman in the bottom of the 6th.

Brewers 6, Rockies 0

W: Burnes; L: Márquez

Player of the Game: Erik Kratz (3-4, 1 R)

Milwaukee Wins Series 3-0

Milwaukee got off to an early lead on a groundout by INF Travis Shaw scoring OF Christian Yelich and never looked back. SP Wade Miley pitched just 4.2 innings for the Crew, with no runs on 3 hits with 1 walk and 2 strikeouts, and the bullpen took over to complete the shutout. INF Jesús Aguilar had a solo dinger in the top of the 4th, while two runs scored during PH Curtis Granderson’s at-bat in the top of the 6th, one on a balk that brought in INF Mike Moustakas, and the other on a wild pitch by RP Scott Oberg that allowed C Erik Kratz to cross the plate. The Brewers added insult to injury in the top of the 9th thanks to back-to-back solo jacks by INF Orlando Arcía and OF Keon Broxton.

Braves 6, Dodgers 5

W: Toussaint; L: Wood; S: Vizcaíno

Player of the Game: Ronald Acuña Jr. (1-3, 1 H, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR, 1 BB)

LA Leads 2-1

Atlanta leaped out to an early five-run lead in the bottom of the 2nd thanks to a bases-loaded walk of SP (and Hall of Shame tweeter) Sean Newcomb to plate OF Nick Markakis and a grand slam by prodigy OF Ronald Acuña Jr. scoring INF Ozzie Albies, INF Charlie Culberson and Newcomb, which made Acuña the youngest player with a postseason granny. The Dodgers mounted a scoring threat in the top of the 3rd, chasing Newcomb after just 2.2 IP. He was charged with 2 runs allowed (1 earned) on 1 hit and 3 walks with no strikeouts. Following the pitching change, INF Justin Turner hit a 2-run single to left that got by Acuña to score INF Kiké Hernández and OF Chris Taylor. In the top of the 5th, Taylor hit a 2-run bomb scoring C Yasmani Grandal, and INF Max Muncy hit a solo shot to tie the game at 5. However, in the bottom of the 6th, INF Freddie Freeman hit a solo home run to give Atlanta a 6-5 lead. Closer Arodys Vizcaíno took the ball in the top of the 9th to lock down the save. Despite allowing a leadoff single by OF Joc Pederson and walking Turner, he struck out the final three hitters to secure an Atlanta victory, forcing a fourth game in the series.

Monday’s playoff matchups feature Game 3 of the American League Division Series between the Houston Astros and Cleveland Indians starting at 1:30 PM ET, the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees in prime-time at 7:40 PM ET, as well as Game 4 of the National League Division Series between LA and Atlanta beginning at 4:30 PM ET.