Didier Fuentes Gives Braves Best Night So Far When Needed Most

Heroes are made in October. It's the stage where most will learn the name.

For those who tuned in for the Atlanta Braves' 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday night, many learned the name Didier Fuentes. Those who have followed the team the whole season know what he's capable of. However, even they witnessed the best to date that he's given this team.

Fuentes took the mound to start the sixth inning against the back-to-back World Series champions. Each batter was given fits nearly every time. The first 11 batters faced were shown the way back to the dugout.

He got a strike away from the most storybook version of the night. Twelve up. Twelve down. Four perfect innings for one of the greatest saves you would have ever seen. A Max Muncy solo home run nixed that aspect of the night.

Many would have loved to have seen it happen, but it doesn't necessarily take away from what was accomplished.

Even if one pitch was clipped, no Braves pitcher had gone that far into a relief outing while being perfect before Fuentes stepped in. What was delivered made a difference in the team being tied heading back to Atlanta and facing elimination.

He gave the Braves more innings than anyone else. He was one of two pitchers on the team to strike out at least three batters. At 21 years old, he was nothing short of stellar on one of the sport's biggest stages.

Between him and Ray Kerr, they combined for a starting pitcher's workload of 6 1/3 innings. Six pitchers had to get them through the game, but if Fuentes hadn't done what he did late in the game, that number could have swelled even further.

Even with Chris Sale and Tyler Mahle set up for Games 3 and 4, having the arms to come in after them is crucial, even if you get the best-case scenario with them.

On an individual level, there is a reason to love what you saw that night. To open the postseason, he was on the mound when the Braves lost a lead, and he gave up a run in the following outing as well.

Even in those situations, his team kept the faith. He had already proven to them that they had every reason to keep it.

"We have faith and trust in each other," Chris Sale said after Game 1 of the NLWCS. "Didi's the right guy for that situation. I don't think there's anybody that's watched our team play a single game this year that wouldn't agree with that."

In the two following appearances, he's delivered in a clinching game and then what was seen on Sunday.

It's a reminder, too, that the best is yet to come for the rookie. If this is what the Braves are getting from him now, buckle up for what's in store for the future.

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