If Thursday night’s National League Division Series opener was a boxing match, the Braves were knocked out within seconds.
Joc Pederson’s and Max Muncy’s homers put the Braves in a four-run hole after two innings, and they went on to lose to the Dodgers 6-0, falling behind in the best-of-five series.
From the Dodger Stadium atmosphere to the power bats to Hyun-Jin Ryu’s seven commanding innings, the Braves looked outmatched. They were the new kid on the block, tasting the postseason for the first time against a team a year removed from winning the NL pennant.
“I think the guys now, since we have experienced it, they’ve been through a lot, they’ve come back a lot all year,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “And I think they’ll come back with a little more sense of what we’re in for tomorrow (Friday).”
Ryu decimated their lineup, striking out eight and walking none over seven scoreless innings. It doesn’t get any easier in Game 2, when the Dodgers will start the great Clayton Kershaw, who despite his average postseason results is among the best pitchers of all-time.
The Braves’ response: A rejuvenated Anibal Sanchez, who was pulled from the scrapheap and provided a sub-3.00 ERA across 24 starts. Mike Foltynewicz, who lasted just two innings in Game 1, has been the Braves’ most dynamic, high-upside arm. Sanchez has been their most consistent.
“You could say he’s the right-handed Ryu,” Braves catcher Tyler Flowers said of Sanchez. “Typically that’s how his outings are. He spots up, he changes speeds, up down, in out, changes directions. He can do basically anything with the baseball.”
Kershaw versus Sanchez will appear a mismatch at first thought. But the wily Sanchez wasn’t supposed to be here. He could’ve retired when Minnesota released him in March. Facing Kershaw is just another game. He and the Braves don’t see eye-to-eye with oddsmakers.
“Most of the time I don't think too much about the pitchers that I'm going to face,” Sanchez said. “I just try to keep my mind on the hitters that I'm going to face against the Dodgers. I think they got a pretty good lineup. It's no doubt how good Kershaw is and what he's been doing for his whole career.
“But at the end, I don't want to put that impression in my mind. I think he's a guy that has a lot of hitters. He knows because he's no hitter. I think Kershaw can hit it pretty good. But I just put my thoughts on the hitter situations.”
The Braves searched for positives after Game 1, citing strong performances from lefties Sean Newcomb and Max Fried among them. They outhit the Dodgers, 6-5, though those types of takeaways are useless in a win-or-go-home setting.
A day-by-day approach, finding the silver linings and turning the page on disaster, is why the Braves are in the NLDS. They weren’t going to change course now.
It’s no secret facing Kershaw in Game 2 is an uphill climb. And everyone knows the playoff narrative: He owns a 4.35 postseason ERA. But this is the same lefty who pitched 7-2/3 scoreless innings and struck out seven when he faced the Braves in late July. He’s the same player who will join the ranks of baseball immortality in the hall of fame five years after retirement.
Experience is a revolving theme in the clubhouse. Every young up-and-coming team goes through the baptism by fire the Braves are presently dosed in. They got their feet wet Thursday. Now they have a just as challenging, if not more so, task ahead.
If the Braves are going to pull off an upset, they’ll likely need to win Friday. They’ll have to do it against one of the best ever, and given how the team has reacted all season, they’ll welcome the opportunity.
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