Braves bounce back to win Game 4 against beat Dodgers

The Braves bounced back after a heartbreaking loss in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, defeating the Dodgers 9-2. The Braves are up 3-1 in the NLCS best-of-seven series. This series has followed the same pattern as the 2020 NLCS: the Braves won the first two games, then lost a heartbreaker in Game 3 before winning Game 4. The Braves will try to avoid a repetition of last year's playoff run, when the Dodgers won three straight games to advance.

The Braves threw a flawless bullpen game on Wednesday. Their offence, headed by outfielder Eddie Rosario, the Braves' own Mr. October, did more than enough to support their arms.

The Braves' trade deadline purchase of Rosario was the least well-received. Due to an abdominal ailment, he was traded to the team in exchange for a struggling Pablo Sandoval. Rosario has been the Braves' greatest player now that the NL pennant is on the line.

He went 4-for-5, just missing his second cycle of the season. Rosario is 10-for-17 in the NLCS, including a triple, two homers, two walks, six RBIs, and four runs scored. Rosario has been by far the most impressive player in a series that features two teams that have played in back-to-back league championship series, including the defending champions with MLB's highest payroll.

The bullpen game for the Braves was a spectacular triumph. Jesse Chavez pitched a spotless first inning after Huascar Ynoa was pulled from the roster due to shoulder pain. Drew Smyly, a left-handed pitcher, followed by retiring the first seven Dodgers he faced on route to three shutout innings.

Smyly, the team's $11 million free agent signing who was demoted from the rotation in September due to his troubles, had his best moment of the season. Smyly's most recent start was at Dodger Stadium, when he gave up four home runs.

Smyly's outing came to an end one out into the fifth inning after allowing Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger to hit consecutive singles. Chris Martin retired Chris Taylor before allowing pinch-hitter AJ Pollock to hit a two-run single, cutting the Braves' lead to 5-2.

A.J. Minter, a lefty, pitched a perfect sixth inning against the Dodgers' lineup. He stayed into the seventh inning, allowing Albert Pujols to hit a single. Minter, on the other hand, coaxed Turner into a double play (Turner departed the game after suffering a leg injury going to first) and then got Bellinger to fly out to centre to finish the inning.

For the Braves, Tyler Matzek and Will Smith pitched the final two innings, respectively. For the Dodgers, the bullpen game resulted in a four-hit performance. The Dodgers' top four batters combined for a 0-for-15 batting average.

In the second inning, Rosario, who had been moved to fifth in the lineup, hit a 0-2 ball from Julio Urias over the left-field wall to give the Braves the lead. Adam Duvall, the centre fielder, promptly followed with his own home run, making the score 2-0.

It was the first time the Braves hit back-to-back home runs in the postseason since Javy Lopez and Vinny Castilla blasted consecutive home runs in the second inning of Game 2 of the NL Division Series against the Giants on Oct. 3, 2002.

Duvall made a leaping grab near the center-field wall to rob Gavin Lux of an extra-base hit in the bottom of the inning. The Braves had a night like that, disappointing the 53,025 fans in attendance.

The 0-for-8 start to the series by first baseman Freddie Freeman is long forgotten. He smashed a powerful single homer against Urias in the third inning after collecting three hits Tuesday. Outfielder Joc Pederson singled home the Braves' fourth run after Rosario's two-out triple.

In the centre, Pederson's hit landed in front of Lux. Lux, a natural infielder, played the ball in front of him on a hop, which irritated Urias, who seemed to believe Lux could make the catch. It was Pederson's fourth RBI of the series and his third game in a row with a run. In every game against his former team, he has a hit.

After Rosario – who else? – singled and later scored on Duvall's sacrifice fly to Lux, who delivered a shaky throw to the cutoff man, the Braves added their fifth run in the fifth. With an RBI double in the eighth inning, Freeman gave them their sixth run. Rosario brought the game to a close with a three-run home run against Tony Gonsolin.

Only 14 of the 89 teams who have gone behind 3-1 in a best-of-seven series have come back to win. That team has only come back from 2-0 and 3-1 deficits in the same series four times. Unfortunately for the Braves, the 2020 Dodgers accomplished the feat, coming back from a 3-1 deficit in the NLCS last year. With one more win, the Braves can avenge that group, and if the series goes the distance, they have Max Fried, Ian Anderson, and Charlie Morton lined up to pitch.

The Braves, on the other hand, will make every effort to avoid this. They have a chance to win the series on Thursday in Los Angeles. If the Dodgers win Game 5, the Braves will host Game 6 and maybe Game 7 this weekend at Truist Park.

Max Fried, a Santa Monica native who grew up watching baseball at Dodger Stadium, will aim to live out his childhood aspirations at Chavez Ravine by helping his team reach the World Series. The Dodgers have yet to name their starting pitcher.