MILWAUKEE – Braves left-hander Max Fried is set to start Game 2 against the Brewers on Saturday. This is his fourth postseason run with the Braves, though only his second as a starter.
Last postseason, Fried had a 3.04 ERA in four starts, helping the Braves push the Dodgers to a Game 7 in the National League Championship Series.
“I’d say familiarity, experience,” Fried said of what he’s learned in past Octobers. “There’s nothing replacing experience. A lot of times when you come into it you don’t know what to expect or how different the game is, but over the last couple of years you just realize that it’s just a little bit more intense regular-season game.
“You just go out there (and) know if you execute your pitches (and) do everything you did in the regular season, it should translate. I’m not trying to put too much pressure on yourself, and ideally just going out there trying to get a win.”
Fried had a 1.74 ERA in the second half, best in the majors. He and Charlie Morton, who started Game 1, are a significant reason for the Braves’ optimism.
Braves notes:
- Fried was asked about lefty reliever Dylan Lee, a player with whom few are familiar. Fried didn’t meet him until Lee’s surprise promotion to Atlanta. Lee is an asset in this series because of his left-handed breaking ball, a pitch that could give the Brewers problems.
“From the time that we got him, he’s just very competitive,” Fried said. “He’s not afraid. He came in Day 1, was very focused. In the outings I saw, he was going after guys. A lot of times you get intimidated, or especially that late in the year, and to come up to make your debut, to be able to go out there, attack, show your stuff like that, it was really awesome. So I know that when he gets the opportunity, I’m confident he’ll be ready.”
Lee made the roster because of his left-handed breaking ball, a pitch that could give the Brewers’ lineup some issues.
- Speedster Terrance Gore has introduced himself to his new teammates in recent days. Gore, an outfielder, made the Braves’ NL Division Series roster as a pinch-runner despite spending the season in the minors. He’s stolen five bases in nine career postseason games.
“He’s really fast,” second baseman Ozzie Albies said. “That’s what I know about him. Great that he’s on our team, in the situation we might need him. And it’s great for him -- I know he’s so fast he can steal two bases and be in scoring position for one of our guys to drive him in.”
- Game 3 is set for 1:07 p.m. Monday at Truist Park, but that time could change. First pitch could shift to 4 p.m. or 5:30 p.m., depending upon the results in the American League Division Series. The Rays and Astros had 1-0 leads over the Red Sox and White Sox, respectively, entering Friday.
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