Game 1 of the NLDS between the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals provided plenty of excitement for fans of October baseball. The NL East champs looked destined to win a tight one, as they held a 3-1 lead entering the eighth inning. Yet, the Cardinals emerged as the 7-6 victors in what suddenly turned into a barn-burner.
The Braves may have all the power in the world thanks to sluggers like Ronald Acuña, Freddie Freeman, and Ozzie Albies, but their bullpen reared it's ugly head when it mattered most.
It all began in the top of the eighth inning, as Braves manager Brian Snitker called on Chris Martin. Suddenly, the hurler came up lame and immediately left the field with an oblique issue. That proved to be an omen, as Luke Jackson then faced off against slugger Paul Goldschmidt, who instantly cut the deficit to 3-2 with a solo bomb to left field.
It's okay, because Snitker called for trade deadline acquisition Mark Melancon from the bullpen. He'd close things out, right?
Well, Melancon surrendered the game-tying run to Cardinals first baseman Matt Carpenter in the eighth inning, and it gets much worse-- he shockingly coughed up FOUR RUNS in the ninth thanks to two-RBI doubles from Marcell Ozuna and Kolten Wong.
Atlanta did flex their muscles in the bottom of the ninth. Acuña hit a two-run homer off Cardinals closer Carlos Martinez, followed by a solo bomb from Freeman. They were back from the dead.
Moments later, however, Nick Markakis stood and watched strike three whiz right down the middle of the plate. Three outs. Game over.
Yes, the Braves have immense hitting prowess, but that will mean nothing if this bullpen can't hunker down and get much needed outs. Game 1 should serve as a wakeup call for Atlanta, who now have zero margin for error in this series.
If the Braves bullpen can't do its job, Atlanta will have yet another early exit from the postseason to look forward to.