Atlanta Braves Survive 12 Scoreless Wildcard Innings

Atlanta Braves Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, played the opening game of the National League Wildcard Series against the Cincinnati Reds. The Braves being the home team, odds lean towards them to win the series.

Scoreless Game

As one scoreless inning grew into another, a strikeout battle began to develop between Braves Cy Young contender Max Fried and Cincinnati’s ace Trevor Bauer. The Reds starting pitching department gives them an advantage in the series.

But this only means that the Braves must Account for their lack of quality pitching rotation depth and rely on their potent offense and deep bullpen to compensate. Anderson and Wright are needed to continue growing and impressing throughout October.

First Time In a While

When it is all said and done for this series, one franchise will win its first playoff series in a long, long time. The Reds haven’t won a playoff series since 1995.

Atlanta has been to the postseason more often, but it has its own problems winning in the postseason. The Braves haven’t won a playoff series since 2001, winless in their last nine trips.

When Braves manager Brian Snitker was asked if he thought his team was feeling the pressure? Snitker says, “I don’t think those guys in there feel that at all.” “The guys that have been there for the last two years, they want to win one, but I don’t think the history of it bothers any of those guys because they weren’t a part of it.”

It was very appropriate for the Braves first baseman and league MVP candidate Freddie Freeman to delivered the winning hit in the 13th inning, ending the longest scoreless duel in postseason history as the Atlanta Braves defeated the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 in the opener of their National League Wild Card Series.

Written by Omari Jahi

Sources:

ESPN: Atlanta Braves overcome Cincinnati Reds in longest scoreless duel; Associated Press

MLB News: Here’s what Braves need to win WC Series; Mark Bowman

Sports Illustrated: MLB 2020 Postseason Betting Primer – How Should Bettors Target Playoff Baseball?; BEN HEISLER

Feature Image Courtesy of Ian D’Andrea, Wikimedia – Creative Commons License

Inset Image Courtesy of Gregor Smith’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License