Braves try to avoid repeat against hard-to-eliminate Dodgers

For a fifth time in two seasons, the Atlanta Braves will take the field knowing that one victory will launch them into their first World Series in over two decades, although on Saturday they finally will have a distinct advantage.

The Braves will take on the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series with the home crowd behind them, giving them hope that they can finally find a nine-inning formula to reach the Fall Classic for the first time since 1999.

A 3-1 lead in the NLCS over the Dodgers last season gave the Braves three chances to advance. But Los Angeles dispatched all of those Atlanta chances, doing it in the neutral-site setting of Arlington, Texas.

Thursday’s potential NLCS clincher against the Dodgers took place at Los Angeles, and while it looked promising with an early Freddie Freeman home run, the opportunity fizzled. The Dodgers’ Chris Taylor hit three home runs, while AJ Pollock added a pair as Los Angeles rolled to the 11-2 victory.

The Braves say they’re ready this time. They aren’t about to fret about who might have momentum, not when they won the first two games of the series in dramatic fashion, only to see the Dodgers do the same in Game 3. And it’s not like the Braves’ big 9-2 victory in Game 4 bled over into Game 5.

“I think we’re going to be just fine,” Freeman said. “We got Ian (Anderson) on the mound. He’s already itching to get going. … We’re going to be looking forward to getting in front of our home fans. Just really two good teams. It’s going to be a good series just like we thought so coming down to Game 6 and 7.”

Even Freeman wouldn’t discount the possibility of a Game 7, not in a series like this. Anderson takes the mound after giving up two runs on three hits over three innings in Game 2 of the series. He also gave up two runs over three innings in a Game 7 start against the Dodgers last season.

Los Angeles was expected to counter with Max Scherzer, but the ace right-hander was scratched from the start. Scherzer gave up two runs over 4 1/3 innings of Game 2 on Sunday and said afterward that his arm was “dead.”

In his absence, the Dodgers will turn to Walker Buehler on short rest. He initially was slated to start a potential Game 7 in the series.

Buehler came back on short rest to pitch Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the San Francisco Giants, and he turned in 4 1/3 innings of one-run ball as the Dodgers posted a 7-2 victory to force a decisive fifth game, which they won.

“I expected our guys to fight and scratch and claw and I thought we did that and it’s going to be a crazy environment in Atlanta. We know that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I like the guys we’re going to be running out there and we’ve just got to go out there and play to win one game. So our backs are against the wall, and I don’t expect a letdown.”

The Dodgers have won seven consecutive playoff elimination games going back to last year’s NLCS and looked like the far more comfortable team in Game 5. Since the last weekend of the regular season, they have lost Clayton Kershaw, Max Muncy, Justin Turner and Kelly to injury, yet they keep surviving.

“I think we’re always confident,” Pollock said. “We always feel like … we’re going to win. So I think elimination, not elimination, it doesn’t matter. We feel good about our team and our chances.”

PITTSBURGH – Andrew McCutchen’s tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning lifted Pittsburgh to a 5-4 victory over Oakland on Monday night, extending the Pirates’ win streak to six games and sending the Athletics to their record-tying 15th consecutive road loss.

The 15 straight defeats away from home matches the Athletics’ record since they moved from Kansas City in 1968. Oakland set that mark in 1986.

The major league-worst Athletics (12-50) have lost five games in a row overall. They are on pace to finish the season exactly 100 games under .500 at 31-131.

“It’s tough,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “Tonight’s game, we didn’t play well enough to win the game. I don’t want to say we gave the game away but there were a lot of instances where we had a chance to capitalize on opportunities and didn’t do it.”

McCutchen also singled and drew three walks to go with two RBIs. The 2013 NL MVP now has 1,998 career hits.

With the score tied at 4, Ji Hwan Bae led off the decisive eighth inning with a single off Sam Moll (0-3) and advanced to third on Austin Hedges’ one-out single. McCutchen’s sac fly plated Bae.

“I was just trying to get the job done. I understand the situation there,” McCutchen said. “We just need to get the run. I was trying to bear down against a hard thrower and trying to get that run in as much as I can, and I was able to do it and have a good at-bat.”

Angel Perdomo (1-0) retired both hitters he faced. and Colin Holdeman pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his first career save. It was an eventful inning for Holderman as the first three batters reached base, but he struck out Carlos Perez with runners on the corners to end it.

“I began my career as a starting pitcher in the minor leagues but ever since I was switched to relief, this has been the goal, to get a save in the big leagues,” Holderman said.

Pittsburgh starter Johan Oviedo gave up three runs and four hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Oakland left-hander JP Sears did not allow a hit until Mark Mathias’ leadoff single in the fifth but was unable to make it through the inning. Sears was charged with one run in 4 2/3 innings while allowing two hits, walking five and striking out six.

Sears has not allowed more than two runs in five consecutive starts. His nine no-decisions are the most in the major leagues.

Ryan Noda and Brent Rooker had two hits each for the Athletics.

The Athletics tied the score at 4-4 in the eighth inning on pinch-hitter Aledmys Diaz’s run-scoring double. Oakland left the bases loaded, though, when Nick Allen hit an inning-ending flyout.

Consecutive bases-loaded walks keyed a three-run sixth inning that put the Pirates 4-3. McCutchen and Bryan Reynolds each worked bases on balls off Shintaro Fujinami to tie the score at 3-all and pinch-hitter Jack Suwinski followed with a sacrifice fly.

The Athletics opened the scoring in the first inning when rookie Esteury Ruiz reached on catcher’s interference, stole his MLB-leading 30th base of the season and scored on Noda’s single. Seth Brown doubled in a run in the third and came home on Perez’s sacrifice fly to push Oakland’s lead to 3-0.

Connor Joe hit an RBI double for the Pirates in the fifth.

The Pirates drew 10 walks, their most in a game in nearly two years.

“We had a bunch of opportunities that we didn’t capitalize (on), but the thing I think I was most proud of is we got down and we didn’t rush to get back,” Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton said. “We were still patient.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: LHP Kirby Snead (strained shoulder) is expected to pitch in the Arizona Complex League on Tuesday, which will be his first game action since spring training. … RHP Freddy Tarnok (strained shoulder) will throw a bullpen on Tuesday.

TOP PICK PROMOTED

Pirates catching prospect Henry Davis was promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis from Double-A Altoona. In 41 games at Double-A this season, the 23-year-old hit .284 with 10 home runs and seven stolen bases.

“He was performing offensively at a level where we felt like he was more than ready to meet the challenges,” Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said. “He improved as an offensive player even since spring training, focusing on the things we were challenging him on. Defensively, he’s made strides too.”

Davis was the first overall selection in the 2021 amateur draft from the University of Louisville.

UP NEXT

Athletics RHP James Kaprielian (0-6, 8.12 ERA) will make his first start in June after taking the loss in all four starts in May and face RHP Mitch Keller (7-1, 3.25). Keller has eight or more strikeouts in seven consecutive starts, the longest streak by a Pirates pitcher in the modern era (since 1901).