Didier Fuentes absolutely dominated in Game 2 of the NLDS, pitching nearly three straight innings of relief to seal a nail-biting 3-2 win for the Braves over the Los Angeles Dodgers. That performance means the series is tied up and Atlanta is heading back home with the home field advantage, a massive swing in momentum.
The Reliever Who Carried the Team on His Back
Before Game 2 even kicked off, Braves manager Walt Weiss was pretty chill about his bullpen strategy, basically saying he’d “watch and see what happens.” Well, what happened was Didier Fuentes taking that idea and running with it, or rather, pitching with it. The dude was absolutely dazzling, pure fire on the mound. He chewed through 2.2 innings, grabbing 11 huge outs to get the Braves across the finish line. The only real smudge on his performance? A solo homer given up to Max Muncy in the ninth with two outs, but honestly, that hardly dims how unbelievably clutch he was. He came in and completely stabilized the game when the stakes were sky-high.
Walt Weiss Just Let Didi Cook, And It Paid Off Big Time
You gotta hand it to Weiss, he knew when he had a good thing going. He admitted it wasn’t the plan to have Fuentes go that deep. “It wasn’t the plan, believe me,” Weiss exclaimed after the game, explaining he initially thought he’d need Fuentes and Iglesias to split the final four innings, probably two each. But Fuentes was just dealing. “Didi was throwing the ball so well, I didn’t want to mess with that,” Weiss said. He even checked with his pitching coach after the third inning Fuentes threw, asking, “Let’s see how he feels. If he feels good enough, I want to send him back out.” That’s trust right there. It reminds you of how he let Ray Kerr, who was also excellent once again during Game 2 of the NLDS, go for as long as possible. That kind of faith in his guys, letting them pitch when they’re hot, is what wins Postseason games. And let’s not forget Drake Baldwin, who contributed big time by getting on base three times with three walks. That’s solid at-bats right there, setting the table.
Game 3 in Cobb County: Bring on Chris Sale!
Now, the series shifts back to Cobb County, and the Braves are feeling good. Being tied 1-1 and heading home is way better than being down 0-2, right? Drake Baldwin sure thinks so. “Being tied, you feel a little bit better than being down 0-2,” he said. And the cherry on top? Chris Sale is lined up to start Game 3. Walt Weiss summed it up perfectly: “We’re in a good position. We’ve got Chris Sale lined up after a split here.” He knows it won’t be easy facing the Dodgers’ pitching staff, calling every one of their starters a “Cy Young guy.” But with Sale on the mound at home, the Braves definitely like their chances. “You feel good whenever you’re playing at home and Sale’s on the mound,” Baldwin added. Get ready, Game 3 is going to be electric.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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