The Dodgers prevailed over the Braves by a score of 6-0 in Dodger Stadium in Game 1 of the NLDS. They did so thanks to a dominating performance by surprise starter Hyun-Jin Ryu and three home runs. As such, the Dodgers now have a 1-0 lead in this best-of-five series.
Here's what you need to know to watch Braves vs. Dodgers Game 1:
The decision to start Ryu was a wise one.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts raised some eyebrows when he tabbed right-hander Hyun-jin Ryu and not Clayton Kershaw as the Game 1 starter. Ryu was dominant when healthy in 2018 -- 1.97 ERA and a 5.93 K/BB ratio in 15 starts -- but the decision to pass over Kershaw remains notable. Well, Ryu in Game 1 justified the decision and then some ...
View Profile Hyun-Jin Ryu LAD • SP • 99 vs. ATL, Game 1 NLDS IP 7 H 4 R 0 SO 8 BB 0
That's some suffocating work (it's also the first time Ryu has thrown 100 or more pitches in a start since August of 2017), and that's in large measure why the Dodgers won their NLDS opener. The decision to go with Ryu in the opener also means that, after Kershaw goes in Game 2, he can still go on full rest in a potential Game 5 against Atlanta. Meantime, it's entirely possible that Ryu is the best starting pitcher the Dodgers have right now.
Joc, Muncy delivered
L.A. outfielder Joc Pederson enjoyed one of his strongest regular seasons in 2018, as he cracked 25 homers in 395 at-bats and also put up an OPS+ of 125. He kept it going in Game 1 against the Braves ...
The very next inning, it was Max Muncy's turn to punish Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz ...
Muncy on a rate basis has been one of the most productive hitters in the NL this season (35 home runs and a 161 OPS+ in 481 plate appearances). You'll also note that both of these homers came from left-handed batters in platoon-advantaged situations.
No roster is built for the platoon quite like the Dodgers. In the NLDS, they're carrying a five-man bench, and that allows Roberts to platoon fully half of his non-pitcher lineup spots. That's a big edge, to say the least, and it was apparent in the early innings of Game 1.
Folty had his worst start of 2018
The 26-year-old Foltynewicz emerged as the Braves' ace this season, but that wasn't the case in Game 1. Folty lasted just two innings, and over that brief span he allowed four runs on three hits. While he struck out five, he also walked three and coughed up the two homers you saw above. That made for his shortest outing of 2018 by a wide margin (his shortest had been 4 2/3, which he did twice during the regular season, and that's just the eighth time this year he's allowed more than three runs in a start. In terms of Game Score, which a quick-and-dirty Bill James metric that measures a pitcher's dominance or lack thereof in a given start (50 is average and anything 90 or higher is an absolute gem), Foltynewicz's Game 1 mark of 21 is his lowest of 2018. Not a good time to soul the linens in such a manner.
In possibly related matters, here's Folty standing athwart baseball superstition not long before Muncy took him deep:
The Baseball Gods' revenge:
Folty walking off the field after the 1st inning. 😱
[h/t @hg1146] pic.twitter.com/GEIsTZeN27 — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 5, 2018
There was never really any drama in this one
Per basic win expectancy, Pederson's first-inning homer gave the Dodgers a 65.3 percent chance of winning Game 1. After that it didn't get below 61.5 percent. Then in the second, Muncy's homer, which gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead, pushed their chances of winning all the way up to 88.3 percent. After the third inning, it got above 90 percent for good, and Enrique Hernandez's sixth inning bomb off Brad Brach pushed it close to 100 percent. No real excitement in this one.
The Dodgers are now heavy favorites in the NLDS
In a best-of-five postseason series in MLB, the team that wins Game 1 has gone on to take the series 71.7 percent of the time. The team that wins Game 1 at home, as the Dodgers did on Thursday, has gone on to win the series 72.3 percent of the time. History suggests the Dodgers are in a very good spot, which is what you'd expect.
Up next: NLDS Game 2
The same two teams will be back at it in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium on Friday. Anibal Sanchez will oppose Kershaw, and first pitch is scheduled for 9:37 p.m. ET. FS1 will broadcast Game 2.
Games on FS1 can be streamed on fuboTV (Try for free). For a look at the complete schedule, click here
Braves vs. Dodgers: Relive Game 1 commentary
If the live blog does not load, please click here.
The Dodgers prevailed over the Braves by a score of 6-0 in Dodger Stadium in Game 1 of the NLDS. They did so thanks to a dominating performance by surprise starter Hyun-Jin Ryu and three home runs. As such, the Dodgers now have a 1-0 lead in this best-of-five series.
Here's what you need to know to watch Braves vs. Dodgers Game 1:
The decision to start Ryu was a wise one.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts raised some eyebrows when he tabbed right-hander Hyun-jin Ryu and not Clayton Kershaw as the Game 1 starter. Ryu was dominant when healthy in 2018 -- 1.97 ERA and a 5.93 K/BB ratio in 15 starts -- but the decision to pass over Kershaw remains notable. Well, Ryu in Game 1 justified the decision and then some ...
View Profile Hyun-Jin Ryu LAD • SP • 99 vs. ATL, Game 1 NLDS IP 7 H 4 R 0 SO 8 BB 0
That's some suffocating work (it's also the first time Ryu has thrown 100 or more pitches in a start since August of 2017), and that's in large measure why the Dodgers won their NLDS opener. The decision to go with Ryu in the opener also means that, after Kershaw goes in Game 2, he can still go on full rest in a potential Game 5 against Atlanta. Meantime, it's entirely possible that Ryu is the best starting pitcher the Dodgers have right now.
Joc, Muncy delivered
L.A. outfielder Joc Pederson enjoyed one of his strongest regular seasons in 2018, as he cracked 25 homers in 395 at-bats and also put up an OPS+ of 125. He kept it going in Game 1 against the Braves ...
The very next inning, it was Max Muncy's turn to punish Atlanta starter Mike Foltynewicz ...
Muncy on a rate basis has been one of the most productive hitters in the NL this season (35 home runs and a 161 OPS+ in 481 plate appearances). You'll also note that both of these homers came from left-handed batters in platoon-advantaged situations.
No roster is built for the platoon quite like the Dodgers. In the NLDS, they're carrying a five-man bench, and that allows Roberts to platoon fully half of his non-pitcher lineup spots. That's a big edge, to say the least, and it was apparent in the early innings of Game 1.
Folty had his worst start of 2018
The 26-year-old Foltynewicz emerged as the Braves' ace this season, but that wasn't the case in Game 1. Folty lasted just two innings, and over that brief span he allowed four runs on three hits. While he struck out five, he also walked three and coughed up the two homers you saw above. That made for his shortest outing of 2018 by a wide margin (his shortest had been 4 2/3, which he did twice during the regular season, and that's just the eighth time this year he's allowed more than three runs in a start. In terms of Game Score, which a quick-and-dirty Bill James metric that measures a pitcher's dominance or lack thereof in a given start (50 is average and anything 90 or higher is an absolute gem), Foltynewicz's Game 1 mark of 21 is his lowest of 2018. Not a good time to soul the linens in such a manner.
In possibly related matters, here's Folty standing athwart baseball superstition not long before Muncy took him deep:
The Baseball Gods' revenge:
Folty walking off the field after the 1st inning. 😱
[h/t @hg1146] pic.twitter.com/GEIsTZeN27 — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 5, 2018
There was never really any drama in this one
Per basic win expectancy, Pederson's first-inning homer gave the Dodgers a 65.3 percent chance of winning Game 1. After that it didn't get below 61.5 percent. Then in the second, Muncy's homer, which gave the Dodgers a 4-0 lead, pushed their chances of winning all the way up to 88.3 percent. After the third inning, it got above 90 percent for good, and Enrique Hernandez's sixth inning bomb off Brad Brach pushed it close to 100 percent. No real excitement in this one.
The Dodgers are now heavy favorites in the NLDS
In a best-of-five postseason series in MLB, the team that wins Game 1 has gone on to take the series 71.7 percent of the time. The team that wins Game 1 at home, as the Dodgers did on Thursday, has gone on to win the series 72.3 percent of the time. History suggests the Dodgers are in a very good spot, which is what you'd expect.
Up next: NLDS Game 2
The same two teams will be back at it in Game 2 at Dodger Stadium on Friday. Anibal Sanchez will oppose Kershaw, and first pitch is scheduled for 9:37 p.m. ET. FS1 will broadcast Game 2.
Games on FS1 can be streamed on fuboTV (Try for free). For a look at the complete schedule, click here
Braves vs. Dodgers: Relive Game 1 commentary
If the live blog does not load, please click here.
LOS ANGELES -- It wasn't long before the Dodgers' offense began clicking like the Dodgers' offense in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Thursday night.
LOS ANGELES -- It wasn't long before the Dodgers' offense began clicking like the Dodgers' offense in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Thursday night.
• NLDS presented by Doosan, Game 2: Tonight, 9:37 p.m. ET/6:37 PT on FS1
View Full Game Coverage
Three pitches into the game, Joc Pederson uncorked a leadoff home run on an 0-2 fastball on the outer edge of the plate. An inning later, Max Muncy unleashed a three-run shot into the right-field pavilion at Dodger Stadium.
:: NLDS schedule and results ::
In their 6-0 thrashing of the Braves, the Dodgers scored their first five runs via the long ball, including Enrique Hernandez's solo shot in the sixth. It was a fitting extension of a regular season in which they set a franchise record and led the National League with 235 dingers.
"You gotta grind out at-bats, and I think we do a great job of that," Pederson said. "Hit with runners on base, get the guy over, situational hitting -- it all plays a part. But I mean, sometimes a home run does the job. I don't know what else to tell you."
Power and patience. Patience and power. It's what these Dodgers do.
It's what these Dodgers have done all season.
And if they're going to beat Atlanta in the National League Division Series, it's almost certainly how these Dodgers are going to do it. Atlanta's pitchers weren't particularly susceptible to the home run this year, but they've walked more than their share. The Braves issued more free passes than any other pitching staff in the National League.
Pederson and Muncy will have the chance to be at the forefront, too. The Braves are currently in line to start right-handed pitchers for the remainder of the series. The platoon-happy Dodgers are expected to ride the lefty-hitting Pederson and Muncy the rest of the way.
Video: ATL@LAD Gm1: Dodgers smack speedy pitches for homers
"I like our left-handed-[hitting] lineup," Roberts said with a grin.
On Thursday night, it was easy to see why.
After a dominant Hyun-Jin Ryu cruised through the top of the first inning, Pederson made an immediate statement. Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz threw a 98-mph fastball on the outside corner. But with two strikes, Pederson was swinging to do damage.
Video: ATL@LAD Gm1: Pederson slugs a leadoff jack
And that's precisely what he did. When the ball landed beyond the outstretched glove of center fielder Ender Inciarte, Pederson became the first player in Dodgers history to homer in the team's first at-bat of the postseason. It was the club's fourth leadoff homer in a playoff game and the first since Chris Taylor opened the World Series with a leadoff shot last October against Houston.
"It's pretty special," Pederson said. "That guy had plus-plus stuff, and we were just trying to get him early and get some guys on base. I got behind 0-2, and I was able to battle and put a ball on the barrel. I definitely wasn't trying to do that, but it was really nice."
Video: ATL@LAD Gm 1: Joc Pederson on his leadoff home run
That's a recurring theme with these Dodgers hitters. They aren't trying to hit home runs. They just do.
"It's just a result of us having a good approach and good at-bats," Muncy said. "A lot of the home runs we've had have come off of long at-bats, working the counts and wearing the pitcher down. Again, I don't feel like we're trying to hit a home run. It's just the result of a good approach."
With that approach, the Dodgers led the Majors with 647 walks this season, too. That kind of patience could prove particularly dangerous over the next few days.
It showed on Thursday, as the Dodgers worked eight free passes. Muncy did so three times, becoming the first player in history to homer and record three walks in his first playoff game.
Video: ATL@LAD Gm1: Muncy lifts a 3-run HR to right-center
As recently as last year, Muncy was looking for work, having been designated for assignment by Oakland. He wasn't on the Dodgers' Opening Day roster and didn't earn a callup until late April. In the second inning Thursday, he sent a playoff crowd at Dodger Stadium into a frenzy when he pulverized a Foltynewicz fastball into the fifth row.
"This is what everyone dreams of doing," Muncy said.
The way this series lines up, Muncy and Pederson will almost certainly get the chance to live a few more of those dreams.
1. Starting pitching. The Dodgers have had a rich history of starting pitchers dating back to the days of Dazzy Vance. This year is no exception. The rotation was second in the majors in ERA, led in walks and hits per innings pitched, or WHIP, and is anchored by ace Clayton Kershaw and future ace Walker Buehler. They also can call upon Rich Hill, Ross Stripling, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Alex Wood and Kenta Maeda, leaving them with the deepest rotation in the playoffs. But the key is Buehler, who has been the dominant No. 2 the Dodgers have been looking for ever since Zack Greinke abandoned ship for Arizona. Beating Kershaw and Buehler on consecutive nights will be a tall task for any team.
