Braves Move On With Another Shutout Win Over Cincinnati

5-0 Win Ends A 19 Year Stretch Of Playoff Misery

Rookie righthander Ian Anderson of the Atlanta Braves stepped up big in the big-time on Thursday. He won Game 2 for Atlanta, clinching the best-of-three series as he stymied the visiting Cincinnati Reds over 6 innings, allowing just 2 hits and striking out 9. Anderson left with a slim 1-0 lead and then watched as 3 teammates from the vaunted Braves’ bullpen kept the Reds scoreless — even hitless–the rest of tbe way. The Braves’ slumbering offense finally awakened in the 8th inning with a pair of two-run homers, one from Marcel Ozuna and another from former Red Adam Duval. Those tallies accounted for the 5-0 final, but the game was much tighter than that most of the way. The Braves scored their first run in a 2-out double by Ronald Acuna in the 5th, bringing home Austin Riley who had reached on a fielder’s choice. Anderson hung in for one more inning before giving way to Will Smith, Chris Martin and closer Mark Melancon, each of whom pitched one inning of no-hit ball against the punchless Reds.

The Braves staff allowed the Reds no runs over 22 innings in the 2 game set. Of those scoreless innings, 13 came from the 2 Braves’ starters, members of a starting staff who sported an historically high 5.51 ERA for the 2020 season. Cincinnati’s starter Luis Castillo went 5.1 innings, allowing 6 hits including the RBI double by Ronald Acuna that broke the scoreless tie. From there, Reds’ reliever Lucas Sims held the Braves scoreless over 1.2 innungs but Raisel Iglesias ran into trouble in the 8th, walking 2 and allowing the homers to Ozuna and Duval to break the game open.

Atlanta now advances to the Division Series in Houston. The first game will be next Tuesday October 6, so the Braves have earned a chance to rest and to reset their starting rotation as they wait to find out whether the Cubs or the Marlins will be their opponents in the Division round next week.

Patrick Conarro

RamblinSports