The Atlanta Braves are officially headed home for the winter, knocked out of the playoffs by a Los Angeles Dodgers squad that just keeps finding ways to win, even when it looks ugly. The Dodgers clinched their NLDS series 3-1 with a 4-1 Game 4 victory on Wednesday, securing their spot in the NLCS.
Andy Pages Said “Not Today” to Playoff Slumps
Talk about redemption! The Dodgers were in a weird spot coming into Game 4. Believe it or not, every single one of their runs in the series so far came from a home run. Seven dingers brought home 10 runs, which somehow gave them a 2-1 series lead, but man, they were 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position. An error scored a run early in Game 4, but still no clutch hits without going yard.
Then, top of the seventh. Game tied 1-1. Braves reliever Didier Fuentes came in, got one out, then walked two Dodgers hitters. Manager Walt Weiss brought in veteran Robert Suarez with the bases loaded and two outs. Who steps up? Andy Pages, a guy who’d been one of the Dodgers’ worst playoff hitters. Last year, he was so bad they benched him for Games 6 and 7 of the World Series after starting him every other game. Heading into Wednesday, his career playoff slash line was a brutal .123/.165/.210.
But not tonight, not with the season on the line for the Braves. Pages delivered a line-drive single right up the middle, plating two huge runs. That wasn’t just the knock that sent the Dodgers to the NLCS, it was a massive moment of personal redemption for him. You love to see a player fight back like that.
Braves’ Bats Froze Solid When It Mattered Most
While Pages was riding high, the Atlanta Braves are heading home to ponder what went wrong, and you can point straight at their situational hitting. These guys just could not get a clutch hit when it mattered. Across the entire series, the Braves went a soul-crushing 1 for 23 with runners in scoring position. Think about that: 1 for 23!
In Game 4 alone, Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow handed them five walks. Five! That’s a ton of free passes and opportunities, but Atlanta just couldn’t capitalize. All those chances just evaporated. When you get runners on and can’t drive them in, especially against a team that was only scoring on homers themselves, you’re just asking for trouble. And trouble found them. Hard to win a series when you leave that many ducks on the pond.
So, the Dodgers are moving on, and the Braves are done. Meanwhile, it was a crazy day of baseball elsewhere, too. The Cleveland Guardians stayed alive, forcing a Game 4 after beating the Chicago White Sox 9-3, though the White Sox still lead that series 2-1. Over in the AL, the Tampa Bay Rays were trying to sweep the New York Yankees, and the Milwaukee Brewers were looking to close out their series against the San Diego Padres. There won’t be another day with four playoff games this season, so let’s soak in every bit of the action as these series wind down and we get ready for the next round!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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