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MILWAUKEE – In a series full of dominant starting pitchers, it’s hard to stand out. But that’s exactly what Atlanta’s Max Fried did on Saturday, and with his latest gem, the Braves return home with a split.
Fried shut out the Brewers in six innings on Saturday, striking out nine as Atlanta beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 in Game 2 of the NLDS. The series is even one game away with Game 3 scheduled for Atlanta on Monday.
Milwaukee barely threatened on Fried’s exit, which ended after 81 pitches when Atlanta manager Brian Snitker sent batter Joc Pederson home in the seventh. The Brewers had just three hits against Fried, and only Willy Adames, who doubled up, made it on second.
“It was fun to watch,” Snitker said. “He’s fun to watch when he does, because he throws. I mean, he has the arsenal, the assortment. He spins the ball so well. And it was a great outing.”
All four starting pitchers in the first two games at American Family Field lived up to their bill. Those starters – Charlie Morton of Atlanta, followed by Fried, as well as Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff of Milwaukee – combined for four quality starts. Collectively, the foursome posted a 1.88 ERA, allowed a 0.157 batting average and struck out 11.6 batters per nine innings.
Of all those great outings, maybe Fried’s stood out above the rest, and that was crucial in a series in which races were extremely hard to come by.
“The stakes might be a little higher, but going out there and pitching that you’re supposed to be doing is going to win out over everything,” Fried said. “For me, going out there and simplifying as much as possible and attacking the glove and staying on the attack rather than snacking, that was the only thought I had.”
The Braves managed to muster two points in the third inning against Woodruff, getting a brace from Jorge Soler, followed by an RBI single from Freddie Freeman, followed by a brace from the top of the fence from Ozzie Albies that scored Freeman. Austin Riley added an insurance run with a solo homerun against Woodruff in the sixth.
And that was all for the offense that day. In the first two games, the clubs combined six points. Milwaukee won Friday’s game 2-1.
“I have to go back [to] look at it, but I didn’t think there were a lot of shots to hit again, ”Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “And that’s all the credit for their pitcher. You know, against Fried, I thought Fried threw the ball really well. “
While the series’ four starters have been strong for most of the 2021 season, even getting into Cy Young’s chatter at various times, no starting pitcher has been hotter than Fried.
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, during the second half of the season, Fried posted the best ERA in majors (1.64), as well as best WHIP (0.83), and placed second in opposition. at OPS (0.511) and at batting. average (0.188). He’s been even hotter lately, with a 0.31 ERA and 0.48 WHIP in his last four outings, including Saturday’s game.
With his latest performance, Fried joined an exclusive pitching roster with more than a scoreless or more scoreless six-innings playoff debut, joining Hall of Fame Christy Mathewson, along with John Lackey, Chris Carpenter. and Walker Buehler.
“It was incredible,” said Braves reliever Tyler Matzek. “He’s been doing it for a month and a half, actually the last half of the season. He’s been out there, deepening the games. And that helps the box settle down so that we know what we need to do. when he’s out of play. “
The drama of Saturday’s game only came after Fried left. The Brewers had two runners on base against the Atlanta relievers’ box in each of the last three innings, but the Brewers couldn’t find a big hit to close the gap.
With the throw chaining zeros like they did in the first two games, it was decisive in both competitions: one team is able to capitalize on a rare opportunity, while the other cannot.
“[Fried] made a few pitches when needed, ”said Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich. “He did a good job throwing everything for a strike and kind of keeping us off balance. We didn’t really have much to do in the first rounds. I had traffic towards the end and just couldn’t get a big hit when we needed it. “
Fried began to compile an impressive resume in the playoffs. After working in the Braves’ paddock in the playoffs in 2018 and 2019, in the last two playoffs, he has made four quality starts in five outings with a 2.43 ERA.
It could create an interesting dilemma for Snitker if the series lasts long. Snitker has not revealed his plan for a Game 4 starter, and has even suggested that a pen game is a possibility. However, if there was a Game 5 on October 14, Fried would be lined up to pitch at normal rest.
The Dilemma: Braves Game 1 starter Charlie Morton also has an impressive playoff resume, and he’s much more extensive than Fried’s. He would be lined up with extra rest to start Game 5. So could Snitker push Morton to start a three-day rest in Game 4, knowing that he has Fried in reserve for a win-win Game 5? And does that have anything to do with Fried leaving after 81 pitches on Saturday?
If Snitker thought that way, he didn’t reveal it after Saturday’s game, saying his early retirement from a Fried rolling had nothing to do with what might happen later in the series.
“I didn’t take him out because I was thinking of something other than winning today’s game,” Snitker said. “And I just thought that after Max got through this [sixth] sleeve that he was probably more than anything mentally ready to [come out]. “
Of course, before all of this comes to the fore, teams have to face Game 3. For now, Fried’s continued excellence makes this theoretical dilemma of Games 4 and 5 a good problem for the Braves.
Plus, the real problems in this series all belong to the hitters – for both teams.
“They are two really well balanced and strong clubs,” said Snitker. “Today we had some big hits. And it was another really good ball game. Just exciting, I know that.”
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