Thursday, March 28, 2024

Preview NLCS Game 3: Atlanta Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers

RHP Charlie Morton (0-1, 3.86) vs. RHP Walker Buehler (0-1, 3.38)
National League Championship Series Game 3
October 19, 2021 • 5:08 p.m. • Dodger Stadium • Los Angeles, CA • TBS

ATLANTA BRAVES NOTES

TODAY’S GAME: The Braves and Dodgers continue their best-of-seven National League Championship Series today after Atlanta took the first two games at Truist Park…The 2020 NLCS marks the fourth postseason series between the two clubs.

• The Braves won two-of-three games at Truist Park against Los Angeles this season before getting swept in a three-game set here at Dodger Stadium… Atlanta lost the season series with the Dodgers for the fifth consecutive season, and since 2014, they are 20-38 (.345) in the regular season and playoffs against Los Angeles.

• The Braves have won each of the last two series with Los Angeles in Atlanta, but are 4-20 (.167) over the last 24 games in the regular season and playoffs at Dodger Stadium…They have lost seven straight games in LA, and 10 of the last 11 here.

• The Braves and Dodgers have met four times in postseason play, including last season in the NLCS…The prior three matchups before last season came in the Division Series…Atlanta swept Los Angeles in the 1996 NLDS, before Los Angeles won each of the last three series…The Dodgers took the 2013 and 2018 NLDS, three-games-toone, before winning the pennant in seven games over the Braves last season.

• RHP Charlie Morton is 7-4 with a 3.44 ERA (27 ER/70.2 IP) in 15 career postseason games, 14 starts…The 37-year-old righty is 0-1 with a 3.86 (4 ER/9.1 IP) in two starts this postseason… Morton has faced the Dodgers three times in the playoffs, including once last season in Game 3 of the World Series…Morton took a 6-2 loss in that game, allowing five runs, earned, and seven hits over 4.1 innings…The last time Morton pitched here in Los Angeles in the playoffs was Game 7 of the 2017 World Series…He earned the win with 4.0 innings of one-run relief.

• RHP Walker Buehler is 3-2 with a 2.50 ERA (20 ER/72.0 IP) in 13 career postseason games, all starts…The 27-year-old righty faced the Braves twice in last season’s NLCS, going 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA (1 ER/11.0 IP)…Buehler fanned 13, but allowed 10 hits and five walks.

GAME 2 WIN: The Braves won Sunday’s NLCS Game 2, 5-4, on a game-ending, ninth-inning single by Eddie Rosario…The win was the Braves’ second consecutive walk-off victory, marking just the second time in franchise history the club walked-off back-to-back  postseason games.

• The first time was Game 3 and Game 4 of the 1991 World Series…Mark Lemke beat the Twins with a single in Game 3 before Jerry Willard scored Lemke the next night with a sacrifice fly.

• The Braves are up 2-0 in the NLCS for the second consecutive season…They are looking to avoid becoming the 15th team to blow a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series.

WINS: The Braves have now won five consecutive postseason games after losing their playoff opener, 2-1, in Milwaukee.

• The five-game postseason winning streak is tied for the fourth longest in franchise record with another five-game run in 1996.

• The Braves won a franchise record-tying seven consecutive postseason games last season and in 1995…They also won six straight in 1999.

• The Braves have previously gone 2-0 in a postseason series 15 times in franchise history, and are 12-3 (.800) in these sets…They lost last season’s NLCS after going up 2-0, along with the the 1996 World Series following a 2-0 lead…Their first such defeat came in the 1958 World Series.

• The Braves are looking to avoid becoming the only team to blow four 2-0 leads in a best-of-seven series…The Dodgers and Yankees have also lost three series they led 2-0.

TIED AFTER 8: The Braves won each of the first two games of this series despite being tied going to the ninth inning.

• The Braves were a major league-worst 1-12 (.077) in the regular season in such games…The next lowest winning percentage in these games was Arizona’s .316 (6-13).

• The Braves have batted .571 (4-for-7) and scored two runs in the ninth inning of the first two games of this series…In the ninth inning of the 13 games that were tied during the regular season, Atlanta hitters went 4-for-59 (.068) with one run scored and 20 strikeouts.

ON THE ROAD: The next three games of this series will be here in Los Angeles.
• The Braves went 46-35 (.568) away from Truist Park this season, tied for the fifth-best road record in the majors.

• Since 2018 and the start of this four-season playoff run for Atlanta, the Braves are the second-best road team in the majors with a  mark of 156-117 (.571).

COMEBACK WINS: The Braves have won each of the first two games in this series despite trailing in both… Atlanta trailed, 2-1, in Game 1 in the fourth inning before rallying for the win, 3-2, and erased a pair of two-run deficits in Game 2 to win, 5-4.

• The Braves had 38 wins this season in which they trailed at some point, tied for the ninth-most wins in the majors and fourth most in the NL…Boston led all of baseball with 47 come-from-behind wins.

• Both of Atlanta’s wins this series have come in the club’s final at-bat, and since Brian Snitker took over as manager on May 17, 2016, the Braves’ 94 wins in the last at-bat are tied for sixth most in baseball…. Research courtesy the Elias Sports Bureau

 

Tonight’s Starting Pitcher

#50 Charlie Morton
RHP • 6-5 • 235 • 37 yrs
2021 Record: 14-6, 3.34 ERA • 2020 Record: 2-2, 4.74 ERA
2021 Postseason: 0-1, 3.86 ERA • Career Postseason: 7-4, 3.44 ERA
vs. RHB: .221 (79-357), 9 HR • vs. LHB: .183 (57-312), 7 HR

 

Today’s Game
• Set for his 15th career postseason start and his 16th overall playoff outing…Makes his third start of this postseason after pitching Games 1 and 4 of the NLDS vs. Milwaukee.

• Is 7-4 with a 3.44 ERA (27 ER/70.2 IP) in his career in the postseason, including a 5-2 record and a 2.52 ERA (11 ER/39.1 IP) since 2019.

• In Game 7 of the 2020 ALCS vs. Houston, recorded his fourth career win in a “winner take all” game, extending his own major league record…Marked his fifth career win in a potential elimination game, breaking a tie with five other pitchers for the most in major league history.

• Has started Game 3 in a postseason series on four separate occasions, including once in an LCS…He is 2-2 with a 7.00 ERA (14 ER/18.0 IP) in Game 3 for his career.

• In his two wins (2019 and 2020 ALDS), he has combined to allow two earned runs over 10.0 total innings, striking out 15…His teams have won by a combined score of 18-7.

• In his two losses (2017 ALCS and 2020 World Series), he has combined to allow 12 earned runs over just 8.0 total innings, striking out nine…His teams have been outscored, 14-3.

• Has faced the Dodgers four times in his career, including a pair of starts this season, and is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA (11 ER/22.0 IP)…In two starts this season, went 1-0 and allowed just three earned runs over 11.0 innings (2.45 ERA).

• Morton pitched here at Dodger Stadium on August 31 and allowed three hits and just one run over 6.0 innings in a no-decision…He walked two and struck out eight in Atlanta’s loss, 3-2.

• Has faced Los Angeles three times in the postseason, including two starts, and is 1-1 with a 4.30 ERA (7 ER/14.2 IP)…Five of the seven runs came in Game 3 of the World Series last season.

• He pitched the final 4.0 innings of Game 7 of the 2017 World Series here at Dodger Stadium and allowed just two hits and one run to earn the win.

• Morton made six starts over September and October, going 2-1 and pitching to a 2.60 ERA (10 ER/34.2 IP).

• Morton struck out 35 batters over 34.2 innings in his last month, and struck out 216 batters on the season, sixth most in the NL and the second most he has ever fanned in a single season.

• He is the first Braves pitcher with a 200-strikeout season since Mike Foltynewicz fanned 202 in 2018…Morton’s final total is the most for an Atlanta starter since Javier Vazquez struck out 238 in 2009.

• Led the majors with 127 strikeouts recorded on the curveball…The next closest is Toronto’s José Berríos with 97…Since joining the Houston Astros prior to the 2017 season, Morton has logged 479 strikeouts via the curveball, also most in the majors and over 40 more than any other pitcher…Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola ranks second, with 438.

2021 Recap
• Played his 14th career major league season and pitched to a 14-6 record and a 3.34 ERA (69 ER/185.2 IP) over a career high-tying 33 starts…Struck out 216.

• NL Ranks: Starts (T1st, 33), Opponents Average (5th, .203), Wins (T5th, 14), Winning Percentage (T5th, .700), Strikeouts (6th, 216), Innings (T7th, 185.2)

• The Braves on September 6 signed Morton to a one-year contract for the 2022 season, worth $20 million, with a $20 million club option for 2023 that does not include a buyout.

• The 6-foot-5, 215-pound native of Flemington, NJ, signed a one-year deal worth $15 million with the Braves this past offseason after helping the Tampa Bay Rays to the American League pennant in 2020.

• Earned his 100th victory, June 22 at New York-NL.

• Morton also earned his first career win while with Atlanta, June 14, 2008 at the Angels, in his major league debut…He became the first pitcher since the Dodgers’ Hideo Nomo in 2003 to earn their first and 100th wins with the same team, while earning wins elsewhere in between.

• Morton made his season debut, 4/3 at PHI, and returned to the Braves this offseason on a one-year contract worth $15 million… With his first start this season, Morton went 12 years, 194 days between Braves appearances.

• According to research from the Elias Sports Bureau, only four other Braves in the modern era (since 1900) had a gap of at least 12 years between appearances, with Bucky Walters’ 17-year, 302-day span the longest.

Career Recap

• A 14-year major league veteran, has compiled a 107-95 record and a 4.00 ERA (722 ER/1625.0 IP) across 292 games, 291 starts…Has fanned 1,492 and pitched a pair of shutouts.

• Has pitched for Atlanta (2008, ’21), Pittsburgh (2009-15), Philadelphia (2016), Houston (2017-18) and Tampa Bay (2019-20).

• Is a two-time All-Star (2018 & 2019) and won the 2017 World Series while with Houston.

 

LOS ANGESLES DODGERS NOTES

MATCHUP vs. Atlanta
All-Time Postseason vs. ATL: L.A. leads, 10-8 (3-2 at Dodger Stadium/1-1 at Truist
Park); Lost 1996 Division Series, 0-3; Won 2013 Division Series, 3-1; Won 2018
Division Series, 3-1; Won 2020 NLCS, 4-3; Trail 2021 NLCS, 0-2
All-Time vs. ATL: LA leads series, 1,198-1,035-22 (225-155 at Dodger Stadium)
2020 NLCS: L.A. won series, 4-3
2021: L.A. won series, 4-2 (3-0 at Dodger Stadium)
Game 1 NLCS @ATL: L, 2-3 W: Smith L: Treinen
Game 2 NLCS @ATL: L, 4-5 W: Smith L: Graterol

“WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE”: The Dodgers were walked off for the second consecutive night at Truist Park on Sunday, this time losing in the bottom of the ninth, 5-4, on a walk-off hit by Eddie Rosario. Los Angeles now finds themselves in a familiar spot: in an 0-2 hole against the Atlanta Braves in a League Championship Series. Last year, the Boys in Blue trailed 0-2 and then 1-3, before roaring back to win three consecutive games and the NL pennant. Los Angeles is playing in its sixth NLCS in the last nine years and fifth in the last six seasons. The Dodgers and Braves have met four previous times in the Postseason: last year and three times in the NLDS (1996, 2013 and 2018). Corey Seager ripped a two-run homer in the first inning Sunday night and now has 12 career Postseason longballs, one behind Justin Turner for the most in Dodger history. Dodger catcher Will Smith went 1-for-2 with a Postseason career high three walks on Sunday night and is hitting .296 (8- for-27) with an 1.145 OPS in eight games this Postseason. His three Postseason homers this year are the most by a Dodger catcher in a single Postseason. Since 1969, when the League Championship Series was introduced to Major League Baseball, the Dodgers have appeared in the LCS 15 times, which is the most in the National
League. The Dodgers and Braves (12) are two of seven franchises that have appeared in the LCS 10+ times.

MOOKIE MAGIC: Dodger All-Star Mookie Betts went 1-for-3 with two runs scored, two walks and two stolen bases in Game 2 of the NLCS and his 12 hits are tied with Alex Verdugo for second in all of Major League Baseball this Postseason, trailing only Kiké  Hernández (18). Bettsis batting .387 (12-for-31) with a homer, four RBI, four runs scored and four stolen bases in eight games this Postseason. His four steals are the most of any player this Postseason.

THE MACHINE: Albert Pujols went 2-for-2 in Game 3 of the NLDS, recording his first postseason hit since 2014. He became the oldest Dodger in franchise history to record a postseason hit, surpassing Manny Mota (40 years) in Game 3 of the NLCS in 1978. At 41 years, 268 days old, Pujols is the oldest player with a multi-hit postseason game since Julio Franco (45y, 42d) in 2003 (NLDS Game 4). In his postseason career, he is a .321 (92-for-287) hitter with 19 homers and 54 RBI.

ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END: The Dodgers went 106- 56 this year, finishing with a franchise tying 106 wins (2019) and the
second-best mark in the big leagues. The Dodgers .654 winning percentage was slightly behind the Giants, who also set a franchise record with 107 wins and a .660 winning percentage. The Dodgers .654 winning percentage is tied fourth highest with the 2019 squad since 1900, trailing only the 2020 (.717), 1953 (.682) and 1942 (.675) teams. The Dodgers eight straight division titles was the longest active streak in the Majors and it was the third longest streak in Major League Baseball history, trailing just the Braves (1991-2005,
14) and Yankees (1998-2006, 9). The Dodgers are playing “October Baseball” for the 35th time in franchise history (26th time in Los Angeles) and for the 11th time in the last 14 years.

WALK IT OUT: The Dodgers this afternoon will once again turn to All-Star Walker Buehler with their backs against the wall, following his gutsy outing in Game 4 of the NLDS on short rest when he allowed one run on three hits over 4.1 innings vs. the Giants. In his postseason career, the two-time All-Star is 3-2 with a 2.50 ERA (20 ER/72.0 IP) and 92 strikeouts against 25 walks in 13 starts. Buhler has made three career Postseason starts vs. the Braves, two of which came in last year’s NLCS when he went 1-0 with a 0.82 ERA (1 ER/11.0 IP), including 6.0 scoreless innings in a Game 6 win with Los Angeles trailing 3-2 in the series. This will be Buehler’s fourth career Postseason start in which the Dodgers are trailing in a series. The club is 3-0 in those games and Buehler has posted a 0.52 ERA (1 ER/17.1 IP).

THOSE GO-GO DODGERS: The Dodgers tied a Postseason franchise record by stealing four bases in Game 2. Los Angeles also stole  four bases in Game 2 of the 2017 NLDS, Game 4 of the 1988 NLCS and Game 5 of the 1965 World Series. The Dodgers ranked 17th in the Majors with 65 stolen bases during the regular season, but have swiped a Major League best 11 bags during the 2021 Postseason, five more than the Houston Astros.

RHP Walker Buehler: 16-4, 2.47 ERA in 33 GS | 0-1, 3.38 in 2 PS GS
2021 Postseason:
▪ NLDS: Went 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA (4 ER/10.2 IP) in two starts:
Started Game 1 of the NLDS at San Francisco, taking the loss after allowing three runs on six hits in 6.1 innings in the Dodgers’ 4-0 defeat

Pitching on three-days rest for the first time in his career in Game 4, allowed one run on three hits in 4.1 innings in a no-decision and eventual 7-2 win 2021 Regular Season:

▪ Established career-best mark with a 2.47 ERA…set career highs in wins (16), innings (207.2) and starts (33)

▪ Selected to his second career All-Star team, but did not pitch in the All-Star Game

▪ Had a 23 start streak without a loss from Sept. 27, 2019-June 29, 2021, tying the franchise record along with Kirby Higbe (1943-46)…went 9-0 with a 2.72 ERA during the run

▪ Ranked among the NL’s best in wins (3rd), innings (2nd), strikeouts (7th), WHIP (0.97, 4th), opponents’ batting average (.199, 2nd),

▪ Has struck out 212 against 52 walks in 207.2 innings…posted his second 200-strikeout season (also: 2019, 215 SO)

▪ Has pitched 6.0 or more innings in 29 of his 33 starts

Career vs. Braves:

▪ Faced Atlanta once this season, Aug. 31 at Dodger Stadium, when he allowed two runs on four hits in 7.0 innings in a no-decision (eventual 3-2 Dodger win)

▪ Overall, is 2-0 with a 2.79 ERA (6 ER/19.1 IP) in three career regular season starts against the Braves, all of which have come at Dodger Stadium

▪ Has gone 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA (6 ER/16.0 IP) in three career Postseason starts against the Braves:

Stated Games 1 and 6 in last year’s NLCS…allowed one run on three hits in a 5.0 inning no-decision in Game 1 and picked up the win in Game 6 with 6.0 scoreless frames

In his only career outing at Truist Park, Game 3 of the 2018 NLDS, allowed five runs on two hits and three walked in 5.0 innings in a no-decision (eventual 6-5 Dodger loss)

Career Postseason:

▪ Helped lead the Dodgers to their 2020 World Championship, going 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA (5 ER/25.0 IP) in five Postseason starts…limited opponents to a .196 batting average (18-for-92) with 39 strikeouts in 25.0 innings

▪ Has posted a 3-2 record and a 2.50 ERA (20 ER/72.0 IP) in 13 postseason starts, limiting hitters to a .186 batting average, posting a 1.01 WHIP and averaging 11.5 strikeouts per 9.0 innings…has allowed just one run in 13.0 innings in two World Series starts (0.69 ERA)

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