The Dodgers lost 3-6 in a home game against Atlanta at Dodger Stadium on the 2nd (Korea Standard Time). The Dodgers, which lost the first two games of the three consecutive games, marked 83 wins and 50 losses. The Dodgers, ranked first in the National League West, widened its gap with Atlanta, ranked first in the East with six games.
Now, it should be seen that it is difficult to overtake Atlanta to become the No. 1 NL winning percentage. Both teams are likely to meet in the NL Championship Series.
Looking at the postseason matchup method that has changed since last year, the top two teams among the top three teams in each district go straight to the division series without going through the wild card series. With the current results, Atlanta and the Dodgers will advance directly to the division series, while the Milwaukee Brewers, ranked first in the Central Division, will start with the wild card series. 파친코
In that case, Atlanta will compete with the winner of the series between the first and second wild cards in the division series, and the Dodgers will face Milwaukee and the winner of the series between the third wild card. Of course, we can’t prematurely evaluate where the strong team is and who is in the advantage right now, but it seems clear that Atlanta will have a comparative advantage over the Dodgers.
If Atlanta and the Dodgers pass the division series and compete in the NL Championship Series, Atlanta will have a home advantage. In other words, the Dodgers should play the first, second, sixth and seventh games on the road. It is widely believed that baseball is an absolutely advantageous game for the home team, and it also appears as a historical record.
Even so, the Dodgers are inferior to Atlanta in this year’s regular season. In the three consecutive games held at Truist Park from May 23 to 25, the Dodgers won the first and second games and lost the third game to win the winning series. However, in the four consecutive games that they met in the second half, they lost the first two games and lost three consecutive games against Atlanta. Given that a team that is stronger in the second half than in the first half is eventually stronger in fall baseball, the Dodgers are likely to take the lead.
The Atlanta starter was Max Fried. He was placed on the injured list (IL) after injuring his hamstring while taking the mound in the opening game of this season, and returned on April 18 and threw four games before suffering a left arm injury in early May and being re-IL. And I spent three months on rehabilitation.
Fried, who has been jagged since his return, has been showing strong performance recently. On the same day, he pitched well with three hits, 10 strikeouts and no runs in seven innings, winning his sixth win of the season, lowering his ERA to 2.52. Fried is expected to be selected as Atlanta’s first starter in the postseason. The Atlanta starters, led by Fried-Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder and Charlie Morton, are the best in the NL.
On the other hand, Dodgers starter Julio Urías suffered a loss by struggling with nine hits and five runs in five innings. It should be said that the Dodgers rotation, which leads to Urias, Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Miller, and Tony Gonsolin, is significantly pushed back.
Atlanta also dominated the firepower battle that was hard to determine the superiority and inferiority. Ronald Acuña Jr., who conquered the 30th home run of the season by hitting a grand slam the day before and achieved his first 30th home run-60 stolen base in history, took the lead in the attack by adding home runs and stolen bases on the same day. 2 for 4 with an RBI and 2 runs scored.
The Atlanta lineup led the mood with 14 hits, including three home runs, with Austin Riley hitting two hits and one RBI in five at-bats and Marcel Osuna hitting three hits and two RBIs in four at-bats. On the other hand, the Dodgers were not very satisfied with leadoff Mookie Betts’ no hit in three at-bats and Freddie Freeman’s no hit in three at-bats.
The Dodgers only recovered three runs with Colton Wong’s three-run home run in the eighth inning as Freeman’s pinch hitter, trailing 0-6, but failed to make a significant attack.