The New York Yankees season and hope for another championship were over when they lost in the wild card round to the Boston Red Sox, but the baseball season continued, for now, two teams. The Houston Astro clinched their berth in the World Series when they eliminated the Boston Red Sox on Friday night at MinuteMaid Park. The Dodgers beat the Braves 11-2, earning them a trip back to Truist Park in Atlanta. With the Braves ahead three games to two, the Dodgers again faced elimination last night. Game five of the series was their saving grace, but not for long as the Braves won the elimination game 4-2 and advanced to the World Series.
Game five with the Dodgers in the elimination hole yet again, they faced the Braves. Max Fried was on the mound for the Atlanta Braves. The Los Angeles Dodgers had Joe Kelly on the mound. Freddie Freeman put the Braves on the board first with a right down the middle no-doubter into the centerfield stands for the two-run lead for the Braves, whichKelly’sKelly’s night with only two-thirds of an inning. That lead held until the bottom of the second when the Dodgers scored three runs. AJ Pollock hit a solo homer followed by a two-run jack by Chris Taylor. Dodgers 3 Braves 2.
The Dodgers picked up another run. Chris Taylor managed a single to center with Pollock on with Pollock on, scoring Pollock for the Dodgers 4-2 lead. The fourth inning was scoreless for both teams. At the bottom of the fifth inning, the Dodgers scored another two runs. Freddie Freeman had a solo blast to center. That was followed by Taylor’sylor’s second home run of the game for the 6-2 Dodgers lead. The top of the sixth inning was scoreless for Atlanta Braves. With Dylan Lee pitching for Atlanta at the bottom of the sixth, Trey Turner singled, but the Dodgers failed to score. Dodgers 6 Braves 2.
. In the Braves half of the seventh with Blake Treinen, with his second inning of work for the Dodgers, put down the Braves in order. At the bottom, Chris Taylor hit his third home run of the game, a solo shot to left. Then Cody Bellinger singled to right. Matt Beaty flew out to end the inning. ButTaylor’sylor’s third homer of the game, the Dodgers led the game 7 to 2.
Corey Knebel pitched the top of the eight for the Dodgers and struck out three in a row. At the bottom, Jacob Webb on the mound, Mookie Betts singled and stole second. Trey Turner singled, scoring Betts. Corey Seager singled, moving Turner to second. Will Smith, the only Dodger starter without a hit, struck out. AJ Pollock, who got the first homer for the Dodgers, homered again to the bleachers in left-center, scoring Turner and Seager for another three runs for the Dodgers. Dodgers 11 Braves 2.
In the top of the ninth inning, with the last licks on the line for the Atlanta Braves, Kenley Jansen took the mound for the Dodgers. Ozzie Albies flew out to left. Freddie Freeman ground out to second. Austin Riley flew out to right, and the Dodgers staved off elimination and moved on to Atlanta on Saturday. The final score was the Los Angeles Dodgers 11 and the Atlanta Braves 2. The winning pitcher was Evan Phillips, and the loser was Max Fried. The series was then three games to two in favor of the Atlanta Braves.
Last night was Game Six. Ian Anderson was on the mound for the Braves and Walker Buehler for the Dodgers; just like in most of the games, the starters wouldn’t be involved in the decision. In the bottom of the first inning with Ozzie Albies on Austin Riley doubled driving in Albies for the Braves one-run lead. That lead held until the top of the fourth inning when the Dodgers finally answered. With Trea Turner on base, Cody Bellinger doubled driving him in for the score tied at one. In the bottom of the frame, the Braves again took the lead on a three run homer by Eddie Rosario making it 4-1 Atlanta Braves. Rosario’s hit set a team record for the most hits in a postseason.
The fifth inning was scoreless for both teams. With Alex Vesia on the mound for the Braves in the bottom of the sixth frame with two outs, Rosario walked. Freddie Freeman walked, the diminutive Ozzie Albies got the third walk of the inning. That was the night for Vesia. The new Dodger pitcher Blake Treinen faced Austin Riley with two outs and the bases loaded with Braves. Riley with a chance to blow the game open struck out to end the Braves threat. Atlanta 4 Los Angeles 1.
In the top of the seventh, Chris Taylor doubled. Cody Bellinger walked. AJ Pollock singled to left driving in Taylor and making it 4-2 Braves and ending Luke Jackson’s night. The new Braves pitcher was Tyler Matzek. He faced legendary Albert Pujios with two on and still no outs. Pujols struck out. Steven Sousa pinch-hitting struck out. Mookie Betts struck out to limit the Dodgers to just one run. In the bottom of the frame with Corey Knebel on the mound, Adam Duvall struck out. Joc Pederson flew out to right. Dansby Swanson singled to left. Travis d’Arnaud struck out. Braves 4 Dodgers 2.
In the eighth Matzek still on the mound struck out his fourth Dodger in a row. Trea Turner ground out to left. Will Smith ground out to left to put the Braves three outs of a World Series berth. In the bottom, Kenley Jansen on the mound, Jorge Soler doubled to left. Heredia pinch-runner. Eddie Rosario flew out center move Heredia to third. Freddie Freeman was intentionally walked. Ozzie Albies struck out. Austin Riley struck out. Braves 4 Dodgers 2.
In the ninth inning with the Braves, three outs away from a win and a trip to the World Series put closer Will Smith on the mound. Chris Taylor struck out. Cody Bellinger struck out. AJ Pollock lined out to short and the Atlanta Braves won the National League Pennant and earned a trip to the World Series in Houston on Tuesday. The final score was the Atlanta Braves 4 and the Los Angeles Dodgers 2. The winning pitcher was Tyler Matzek and the loser was Walker Buehler the save went to Will Smith. It will be the first time the Braves have gone to the World Series since 1999 when the New York Yankees swept the Atlanta Braves 4 games to none.