To win the World Series, the Braves defeated the Dodgers 4-2. (1:25).
ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves will be returning to the World Series for the first time since 1999.
Eddie Rosario continued his torrid postseason. He hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning just outside the foul pole. This broke a 1-1 tie and propelled Atlanta to a 4-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Atlanta defeated the Dodgers in six games, one season after losing to them in seven games of the NLCS.
The Dodgers had the tying runs on base in the seventh. But Tyler Matzek, a lefty reliever, came on and struck out three consecutive to electrify Truist Park. Mookie Betts, a former MVP, was the last of the three.
Rosario was awarded the NLCS MVP. He went 2-for-3 with a home run and finished the NLCS in 1.040 slugging percentage.
Loss ends title defense for the Dodgers who, after last year's short season due to the pandemic, won the World Series. Los Angeles lost abruptly after winning 106 games in the regular season, and beating the 107-win San Francisco Giants during the NL Division Series.
The 88-win Braves win the NL pennant. This is despite not having climbed over the.500 threshold until August 6. Elias claims that this is the most recent first-day-over.500 date for a team to reach the World Series. The previous record was held Aug. 3, by another franchise, the 1914 Boston Braves. They are also known as the "Miracle Braves".
Although the 2021 Braves seemed unlikely to win their pennant drought, nothing about Atlanta's victory over the Milwaukee Brewers and the Dodgers in the NLDS was remarkable.
The pennant is the latest achievement for a franchise that underwent a lengthy rebuild in the middle of the last decade, and was resurrected as a contender in 2018. The Braves reached the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. Saturday's victory ended a 12-year-old string of postseason runs without the Braves reaching the World Series. It was tied with the Athletics as the longest such streak.
Ian Anderson, the Braves' starter, held the Dodgers to just one run in four innings before being replaced by a pinch-hitter during Atlanta’s fourth-inning rally. A.J. Anderson was outfielded by Minter, who struck out four and took down six batters.
Braves franchise stalwart Freddie Freeman is now eligible to travel to the Fall Classic after his win. Freeman was drafted by the Braves as the second rounder of the 2007 draft. He was the only player that the Braves retained after dismantling their last rival club. In 2014, they signed an eight-year extension to Freeman.
Freeman was a star for many losing teams in the early years of the contract. However, now that the pact is due to expire, he has also witnessed the team's complete turnaround.
This win was also the crowning glory of Brian Snitker's long career as a Braves manager. He has been with the team since 1977. Snitker was 66 years old when he played in the minors and then became a roving instructor, after Hank Aaron hired him to stay with the organization. Before coaching in the majors, he managed the minors for many years. He is now at the top of his profession, with the only organization that he knows.
The Dodgers' loss marks the beginning of what could be a season of change. Many of their top players are heading for free agency. This list includes Max Scherzer and Albert Pujols as well as Chris Taylor, Chris Taylor, Kenley Jansen and Clayton Kershaw, long-time ace.
The Dodgers' failed repeat bid means that baseball won't have a back-toback champion. Since the Yankees' three-year streak between 1998 and 2000, no one has been crowned champion again. This is the longest streak of baseball without a repeat champ.
