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Atlanta walks off with 1-0 lead on LA

By MIKE PUMA mpuma@nypost.com

ATLANTA — The important hit that eluded the Dodgers for several innings Saturday night exploded off Austin Riley’s bat in the bottom of the ninth, leading to a different kind of detonation — of fireworks — above Truist Park.

Riley’s walk-off RBI single against Blake Treinen gave the Braves a 3-2 victory in Game 1 of the NLCS. Riley was the offensive hero all the way around, with a homer in the fourth that had tied it.

The Dodgers squandered opportunities most of the night, finishing 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

“Once we kind of got over the hill after the All-Star break and got that momentum going we kind of got that vibe of, ‘We’re not out of it until the very last out,’ ” Riley said. “Our bullpen kept us in the game and we were able to pull one out.”

In the ninth, Ozzie Albies delivered a oneout bloop single against Treinen and stole second before Riley ended it. For a second straight year, the Braves are off to a series lead against the Dodgers in the NLCS. Last October, the Braves won the first two games and went ahead 3-1 in the series before the Dodgers rallied with three straight victories to win the NL pennant before beating Tampa Bay in the World Series.

On this night, Chris Taylor’s base-running gaffe cost the Dodgers a potential go-ahead rally in the ninth. Cody Bellinger stroked a pinch-hit single to right field, on which Taylor rounded second and hit the brakes. Joc Pederson’s throw behind Taylor to the bag led to a rundown, during which Taylor was tagged for the third out.

Taylor was left stranded at third base in the seventh after reaching on a leadoff bloop double against Tyler Matzek. Following a sacrifice bunt that moved Taylor to third, the lefty Matzek escaped by retiring Mookie Betts on a pop up and striking out Trea Turner.

The Braves got what they needed from ace Max Fried, who allowed two earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts over six innings that consisted of 81 pitches. In his previous start this postseason the left-hander fired six scoreless innings in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Brewers.

“I thought we took good at-bats against him, we just couldn’t push runs across,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

The Dodgers threatened to take the lead in the sixth following Justin Turner’s leadoff single and advancement to second base on a wild pitch. But Turner was left stranded at third as the leaping Albies snagged A.J. Pollock’s line drive to end the inning.

Riley blasted a two-out homer against

Tony Gonsolin in the fourth that tied it 2-2. It was the second homer this postseason for Riley, who hit 33 during the regular season and became an MVP candidate, giving the Braves a formidable counterpart to Freddie Freeman (who won the award in 2020). “I feel [Riley] has come a long way in a short time,” Trea Turner said. “There’s a reason fans are chanting ‘MVP’ for him.”

Will Smith homered leading off the top of the inning against Fried. It marked only the third time in Fried’s career he surrendered a homer on an 0-2 pitch. The homer was Smith’s third this postseason.

Taylor’s RBI single in the second tied it 1-1. Pollock stroked a twoout double against Fried to begin the rally. Taylor’s RBI was his fourth of the postseason.

Corey Knebel was employed as the Dodgers’ opener for the second straight game — he served in that role Thursday in San Francisco — and allowed a run in the first. Eddie Rosario scored that run on a wild pitch after delivering a leadoff single and stealing second base. Knebel was tabbed to give Max Scherzer extra rest following his relief appearance in Game 5 of the NLDS (he earned the save with a scoreless ninth against the Giants).

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2021-10-17T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-17T07:00:00.0000000Z

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