Braves Today

Takeaways from Atlanta's come from behind 5-4 victory in NLDS game two

The Atlanta Braves went from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs in the span of three innings
Lindsay Crosby|
Takeaways from Atlanta's come from behind 5-4 victory in NLDS game two
Takeaways from Atlanta's come from behind 5-4 victory in NLDS game two

The Atlanta Braves rallied to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 inside a sold out Truist Park to knot the NLDS at one game each. Here's what you need to know from the contest: 

Max Fried was rusty tonight

Entering game two, Max Fried had made one start in the last 3 1/2 weeks, owing to the left index finger blister that ultimately caused him to miss the end of the season on the injured list. 

He was a bit rusty tonight. 

Suffering from the combination of iffy location and not getting crucial strike calls on pitches "on the black" to the first two batters, Fried shifted to attacking Philly hitters in the zone, and it didn't work out. 

When he threw out of the zone, Philly hitters took it - Fried has a career-high nine 2-0 counts in this game. 

When he threw in the zone, Philly hitters whacked it - Fried gave up seven hard-hit balls in his four innings, with Trea Turner logging a double in the 1st inning that led to Philly's first run and JT Realmuto hitting a two-run homer in the 3rd inning. 

Fried's night was done after only four innings, having given up three runs on six hits, walking four and striking out only three. 

Believe it or not, it could have been worse - Fried still battled despite not having his location (or any calls on the corners), forcing Philly to go only 2-5 with RISP and stranded seven Philly batters. 

Zack Wheeler was phenomenal

Wheeler carried a no-hitter through 6 innings, only being denied a perfect game thanks to a Trea Turner fielding error on a Matt Olson ground ball in the bottom of the 2nd. 

Wheeler struck out six of the first seven batters he faced, and after Olson reached to open the 2nd, Wheeler didn't allow another Braves baserunner until a two-out walk of Ronald Acuña Jr in the 6th inning. 

Wheeler finished at 6.1 innings with three runs (two earned) on three hits, walking one and striking out ten. It's one of the better postseason pitching performances in recent MLB history, and elongated an (unfortunate) trend for Atlanta - they were held scoreless for the fourteen innings of this series.  

But MLB's best offense fought their way back into a lead

The Atlanta Braves had the best offense in baseball this season, and they gradually figured out Wheeler as the game progressed. 

Seven of Wheeler's ten strikeouts came in his first time through the order, with Braves getting batted ball outs the 2nd time through and hits starting to drop on his 3rd trip through. 

Ozzie Albies struck out swinging in the first inning and struck out looking on a seven pitch at-bat in the 4th. But in the 6th, after a Ronald Acuña Jr walk, Ozzie ambushed a first pitch fastball in the zone for a line drive single up the right field line. Acuña advanced to 3rd and scored on Trea Turner's 2nd defensive error of the game, coming when he tried to backhand the one-hop throw from Nick Castellanos.

In the next inning, after Matt Olson walked to open the inning, Travis d'Arnaud hit a one-out homer to left field, putting Atlanta within one and ending the uting for Zack Wheeler. The homer came on a first-pitch sweeper that landed middle-middle, with Travis catching it squarely and launching it out at 110.8 mph. 

Atlanta took the lead with an Austin Riley bomb in the 8th - Ronald Acuña Jr was hit by a pitch to open the inning, sacrificed over to 2nd on a groundout, stole 3rd, and then leisurely jogged home after Austin absolutely LAUNCHED one to left, giving the Braves a 5-4 lead. 

The Braves made some history with the win tonight, too.

Austin Riley, game two MVP

Riley's homer wasn't the only clutch play he made in this game. With one out in the 9th inning and Bryce Harper on 1st, Nick Castellanos hit a deep fly ball to right-center field.

Michael Harris II made an amazing leaping catch at the wall for the 2nd out, and fired the ball back in, in hopes of doubling off Harper, who was running on the swing. The ball trickled past Orlando Arcia and Ozzie Albies, rolling to the infield.

But Austin Riley, backing up the play, treated the throw like a slow roller up the 3rd base line, making a barehanded scoop and throw to 1st to narrowly catch Harper for the final out of the game, sealing the comeback. 

It was an amazing finish to an amazing comeback, and the series is tied at one game each. 

What's next for the Atlanta Braves?

The series shifts to Philly for games three and four. The Braves play next on Wednesday, with a yet-to-be-declared pitcher for Atlanta facing off against Aaron Nola in Citizens Bank Park. Game time is scheduled for 5:07 PM ET, and the broadcast will be on TBS. 

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Lindsay Crosby
LINDSAY CROSBY

Managing Editor for Braves Today and the 2023 IBWAA Prospects/Minors Writer of the Year. You can reach him at contact@bravestoday.com

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