The team that finished second to the Braves in the National League East is one win away from the World Series.
And the team that scored 10 runs in one inning against the Braves in Game 5 of the NL Division Series has scored two runs in 27 innings of the NL Championship Series.
If this postseason could become any more disconcerting for the Braves, that has happened as the Washington Nationals have taken a three-games-to-none lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLCS.
The Braves have watched — or not watched — as the team they finished comfortably ahead of in the NL East over the course of the 162-game regular season has dominated the team that eliminated the Braves in the NLDS.
The Nationals beat the Cardinals again Monday night, 8-1.
As inexplicable as it was at the time, St. Louis' historic 10-run first inning against the Braves on Wednesday is even more unfathomable after seeing the Cardinals' offense do nothing against the Nationals.
Against Washington’s three starting pitchers so far in the NLCS — former Brave Anibal Sanchez in Game 1, Max Scherzer in Game 2 and Stephen Strasburg in Game 3 — the Cardinals have scored one run (unearned) in 21-2/3 innings. Sanchez carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning. Scherzer carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. Strasburg had 12 strikeouts.
The Nationals, who have won 14 of 16 games since Sept. 23, will have another stellar starting pitcher, Patrick Corbin, on the mound Tuesday night when they try to complete an NLCS sweep and clinch the first World Series berth in franchise history.
