Veteran right-hander Charlie Morton will start Game 4 for the Braves on short rest, the team announced Tuesday. The Braves lead the National League Division Series 2-1 over the Brewers and would advance with a victory Tuesday.
“We talked to Charlie yesterday, and he’s great with it,” manager Brian Snitker said. “I wanted to make sure he was great with it physically. He went out, threw the ball around yesterday, felt good. So I said, ‘go for it.’”
Milwaukee will send out lefthander Eric Lauer for his first appearance of the postseason. He went 7-5 with a 3.19 ERA in 24 appearances (20 starts) during the regular season.
Morton, 37, started Game 1, throwing 85 pitches across six-plus innings. He allowed two runs, both on a homer by Rowdy Tellez that ended Morton’s otherwise strong start. That was the only time the Brewers scored over the first three contests. They were shut out 3-0 each in games 2 and 3.
Morton has pitched once on short rest in the postseason, logging four innings in relief during the Astros’ Game 7 victory in the 2017 World Series. Morton, a renowned big-game pitcher, can help send the Braves to their second consecutive NL Championship Series with a win. He has a 3.34 ERA in 14 career postseason games.
Snitker said he will check with Morton after every inning and see how he’s feeling. “There’s no expectations here,” Snitker said.
If the Braves fall short Tuesday, lefty Max Fried is positioned to start a winner-take-all Game 5 in Milwaukee on Thursday. If the Braves win Tuesday, Fried could start Game 1 of the NLCS against either the Giants or Dodgers.
Braves notes:
- Joc Pederson has been a pinch-hitter extraordinaire for the Braves, going 3-for-3 with two homers in the series. But Pederson also has been valuable in the clubhouse, helping keep players loose during stressful times. He and fellow outfielder Guillermo Heredia are beloved for their personalities.
“It’s huge,” third baseman Austin Riley said. “Like I said, those guys, they bring it every day the same, no matter if we’re winning or losing, they’re always in the game. I think that’s very important. In a series or in postseason, keeping things light in those situations where you kind of find yourself maybe a little tense, they’re awesome to have around.”
Outfielder Eddie Rosario: “I think it’s truly helpful, especially it helps to keep yourself from getting in your own way. When you’re kind of getting mad at yourself or having a hard time, having that energy helps to not focus on that. But it’s great to be a part of this team. Very emotional, and I think they’re having as much fun as I am right now.”
- The Braves held the Brewers scoreless for 19 consecutive innings entering Game 4, the third-longest scoreless streak in their postseason history. The 1991 Braves pitched 24 consecutive scoreless frames. The MLB record is 33 scoreless innings, set by the 1966 Orioles.
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