MILWAUKEE – The Braves lost the opening game of the National League Division Series 2-1 in Milwaukee on Friday, putting themselves in a hole to begin the best-of-five series.
Teams that win Game 1 of a best-of-five series advance more than 70% of the time. The Braves are 3-17 when losing Game 1. They last advanced after losing the first game when they defeated the Astros in the 1999 NLDS.
Yet this team is uniquely prepared. These Braves endured frustration, misfortune and the unknown throughout the 162-game trek. Despite failing to obtain a winning record until Aug. 6, the Braves emerged as NL East champs, winning the division by 6-1/2 games over the Phillies.
All that to say, they didn’t panic after the Game 1 loss.
“They’ve been under the gun for a long time now,” manager Brian Snitker said before Game 2 on Saturday. “For the last six weeks, we’ve had to win games and we did. We won a lot of them. And we had some tough losses, just like (Friday). They always found a way to bounce back.”
The Braves have a battle-tested core. They fell a few innings short of a World Series berth a year ago after winning two postseason series. They also know they have an offense that can catch fire at any moment.
“We all thrive off each other,” outfielder Adam Duvall said. “So I think we can string a couple hits together, get that rhythm going and that mojo going. Confidence is a big thing, especially in the postseason. Being here before and having to go through some of these things, I think once we string a couple (hits) together, we’ll be just fine.”
Braves notes:
- A case for the Braves: Max Fried, among MLB’s best pitchers since July, was on the mound for Game 2. The team then potentially has two home games set for next week. If they steal a win in Milwaukee on Saturday, the series flips in their favor. The Braves are 12-7 in Game 2 after losing the first contest.
“We have all the confidence in him,” outfielder Jorge Soler said (via team interpreter Franco Garcia) of Fried. “The second half of the season, he was one of the best pitchers in baseball.”
- The Braves and Brewers are the only two postseason participants with better regular-season records away from home than at their own ballparks. The Braves were 42-38 at Truist Park while going 46-35 on the road. The Brewers were 45-36 at American Family Field and 50-31 away.
- Game 1 was a true pitching battle. Brewers ace Corbin Burnes kept the Braves scoreless over six innings. Braves starter Charlie Morton kept the Brewers off the board for six innings before giving up the deciding two-run homer in the seventh. Morton’s nine strikeouts tied a postseason career high.
“Charlie threw his butt off,” Burnes said after Game 1. “You’ve got to tip the cap to him. He punched out nine through five innings, and then we finally got to him there in the seventh.”
- With his single Friday, shortstop Dansby Swanson is hitting .303 (20-for-66) with a .902 OPS in 18 postseason games, reaching safely in 13 of those contests. Swanson missed the Braves’ postseason series in 2018 because of a hand injury, but he’s since shown he can thrive under playoff pressure.
- When the Braves added speedy outfielder Terrance Gore to their postseason roster, they designated veteran catcher Stephen Vogt for assignment to open a spot on the 40-man roster. Vogt, 36, was injured Sept. 9 and placed on the injured list with what the team called right-hip inflammation.
Snitker said days later he doubted Vogt would return this season. The Braves acquired Vogt from Arizona in July as rental help for their catcher spot, which was ailing while Travis d’Arnaud was sidelined for months.
- Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman was named one of seven NL finalists for the 2021 Hank Aaron Award, which is given to the most outstanding offensive player in each league. Other NL finalists are Nick Castellanos (Reds), Bryce Harper (Phillies), Fernando Tatis (Padres), Brandon Crawford (Giants), Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals) and Juan Soto (Nationals).
- Right-hander Ian Anderson (9-5, 3.58 ERA) will start Game 3 for the Braves on Monday at Truist Park. The Brewers hadn’t announced their starter for Game 3 by first pitch Saturday. The Braves will hold an optional team workout Sunday at Truist Park (closed to the public).
