Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves postseason primer
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly responds to questions during a news conference before a game against the New York Yankees. The game was later postponed due to rain. (June 18, 2013) Credit: AP
The Braves were wire-to-wire winners of the National League East. The Dodgers stumbled out of the gate but used an exciting rookie to rise to the top of the NL West. They meet in their end of the NLDS on Thursday at 8 p.m. Here’s what you need to know to prepare for the series:
Atlanta won the season series against the Dodgers, 5-2. They scored 27 runs and allowed 17. But those games came in May and early June, before the team really took off. Thus, it’ll be a far different Dodgers team that Atlanta encounters on Thursday.
Don Mattingly, the former Yankees star and coach, was on the cusp of losing his job as Dodgers manager before the team finally picked up its play during the summer.
Freddy Garcia is the likely Game 4 starter for Atlanta, should it need one. After flopping with Baltimore, he hooked on with the Braves and went 1-2 with a 1.65 ERA in six games (three starts).
Braves reliever Luis Ayala pitched for both the Mets (2008) and Yankees (2011).
Is there a bigger mystery in the sport than Puig? He’s extremely likely to do something exciting – but he also has the possibility of a big gaffe. Either way, he’s must see TV this October, for however long his October lasts.
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