MLB
NLDS Game 2 Recap: New Night, Worse Story for Atlanta
It was more of the same from the Atlanta Braves in NLDS Game 2 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Again, the Braves were outclassed, getting shut out for the second night in a row. If you’re a Braves fan, look away.
The Braves started the game with hope off the bat of their young star Ronald Acuña Jr. But they would strand the rookie of the year candidate at third. Something they would learn, you can’t leave runners on base when facing Kershaw. They would only have two other runners to strand on base the rest of the night.
It was then deja vu for Atlanta as it would be the Dodgers who struck first. Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. It came in the first inning. And it was off the long ball. This time from Manny Machado. Getting to tonights Braves starter, Anibal Sanchez early allowed Kershaw to settle in. And turn in a memorable performance.
Kershaw’s final line reads 8 Innings 0 Runs on 2 Hits and the most staggering stat of the entire night, 85 pitches. Yes, Kershaw was well on pace to pull a Greg Maddox and throw a complete game under 100 pitches. Dave Roberts, however, gave Kershaw the hook in the 8th to turn it to their closer Jansen. Presumably, because there are still many more games for the Dodgers to play in October.
For the Braves, there isn’t much to hang their hat on heading back to Atlanta. One game from elimination, mustering nine hits and no runs in two games. Their only hope is that the home crowd wakes something up in the offense and the pitching stops allowing first-inning runs to a powerful offense. Either that or the Braves get some rum and turn to Jobu to wake up their bats. Either way, it’s now or never for this young Atlanta squad to prove something and dig themselves out of a grave they dug themselves.
Photo Credit: markwhitt via Flickr
