It was decision day for the Atlanta Braves as they hosted game 5 of the National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals at SunTrust Park, or STP as it is most commonly referred to around the city of Atlanta. The Braves had a 4-3 lead this past Monday in St. Louis but could not hold the lead in the bottom of the eight inning. For all purposes the Braves should have won that game. Two separate occasions the Braves had bases loaded with less than two outs in the top of the fifth and sixth innings, and both times came away with nothing. But that is why baseball is a great game. You just never know what is going to happen. Unlike during the regular season, every pitch and every out in the postseason is scrutinized and looked at so very important. Missed opportunities are highlighted much more in postseason play.
So the stage was set for first pitch at 5:02 pm as starting pitcher for the Cardinals Jake Flaherty faced off against Braves starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz.
But this game was over before it started. The only excitement for the fans that were at the ballpark was all the pregame festivities and just the excitement of the game getting started. I’m not going to go too much into details about this game, because it was disastrous from the beginning. Foltynewicz lasted one out in the top of the first inning giving up four runs and accounted for three more after he was pulled from the game. Max Fried didn’t fair too much better. I pretty much turned off the radio from there. I was driving in my truck but did not feel the need t listen to the game any further. The only positive was 3B Josh Donaldson’s solo home run in the seventh inning that of course had no effect on the game itself. The Braves lost the this deciding factor game 13-1 and have not won a postseason series since 2001.
The Braves all but had this series locked up in the bottom of the eight inning of game four in St. Louis. Catcher Yadier Molina hit the baseball softly just over 1B Freddie Freeman’s reach above his head and that tied the ballgame at 4 a piece. The Cardinals went on to score another run to win 5-4 which meant the series was tied 2-2 with the fifth game to be played back in Atlanta.
My take on the Atlanta Braves over the years. Over the 19 pennants the Braves have won while being in Atlanta, they only have one World Series title in 1995. During all those great years of winning pennants, the teams have been dominant from game 1 through 162. But when the postseason comes, they seem to forget how to play the game of baseball. I know this is hard on the team, but it is also hard on the fans that wait in hope each and every year, praying that this year is the year.
I’m not going to go as far as to say there is a curse on all Atlanta sports teams except the United. United is a young, fresh soccer team that began winning from the beginning. I just feel as if all Atlanta teams lose sight and become sluggish. Is it the wear and tear of the season or just mismanagement from the managers to the coaches during the stretch of the game(s)? None of us will really ever know, and it will never be admitted if the question is brought up.
As many accolades that were accomplished during the regular season, the Braves season was lost with only four outs remaining in game four of the National League Division Series.
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