A couple of clutch swings from breakout slugger Austin Riley on Saturday launched the underdog Atlanta Braves to a fast start in the National League Championship Series.
Riley homered and drove in the winning run with a single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Atlanta a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1.
Blake Treinen struck out Freddie Freeman to open the ninth before giving up Ozzie Albies’ bloop single to center field. Albies stole second and Riley followed with his line drive into the left-field corner.
Photo: Brett Davis-USA TODAY
“That was my mindset — put something in play and see what happens,” Riley said after delivering the first walk-off hit of his career.
The 24-year-old slugger spread his arms in celebration as he rounded first base before teammates mobbed him in a happy swarm that carried into shallow center field.
“You dream of that as a little kid,” Riley said.
Albies told first-base coach Eric Young Sr he would be taking off to steal second so he could get in scoring position.
“I knew [Riley] was going to do the job,” Albies said. “As soon as he hit it, I took off. I started yelling, screaming all the way to home plate.”
Riley also homered in the fourth. The third baseman set career highs across the board for National League East champion Atlanta this year in his third major league season, batting .303 with 33 homers, 107 RBIs and an .898 OPS in a league-leading 160 games.
The teams are meeting in the championship series for the second consecutive season. The Dodgers rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win last year’s playoff in seven games before also winning the World Series.
In Houston, J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers helped the Boston Red Sox have a grand old time, as they became the first team to slug two grand slams in a post-season game, with Martinez and Devers connecting in the first two innings of a 9-5 win over the Houston Astros that tied their American League Championship Series at one game apiece.
Game 3 is tonight in Boston. It is the first of three consecutive home games for the Red Sox, back in the playoffs for the first time since winning the 2018 World Series after downing Houston in the championship series.
Martinez made it 4-0 with his opposite-field shot off rookie Luis Garcia with two outs in the first. It was the first career playoff slam for the four-time All-Star, who began his career with the Astros.
“That situation, the pressure is on him, it’s not on me to come through there,” Martinez said. “It’s the first inning. He has bases loaded. I’m trying to tell myself that, trying to stay relaxed and just looking for a pitch so I can just put a barrel on it.”
Garcia exited with right knee discomfort after walking the first batter of the second inning. Jake Odorizzi took over, and shortly after a 13-minute delay, while the right-hander warmed up on the field, Devers connected with one out for slam No. 2.
“J.D.’s swing was huge to get us on the board early, and then Raffy, same thing, another granny,” red-hot teammate Enrique Hernandez said. “Has that ever happened before?”
Hernandez, who Boston manager Alex Cora referred to Friday night as “en fuego” after a two-homer performance in Game 1, remained on fire. He had two hits, highlighted by a solo homer in the fourth inning.
Hernandez has been this post-season’s hottest hitter, leading all players with 16 hits, five homers and four doubles.
His nine extra-base hits are also the most in the playoffs and tied a Red Sox post-season record with Mike Lowell (2007), Kevin Youkilis (2007) and David Ortiz (2004 & 2007). His five homers are also tied for most in team history with Ortiz (2004, 2013) and Todd Walker (2003).
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