ARLINGTON, Texas _ Every October for the past seven, since the Los Angeles Dodgers started winning the National League West every year in 2013, the ninth inning belonged to Kenley Jansen. But this year is different. Jansen isn't the Dodgers' closer anymore. His recent struggles have earned him a demotion, whether the Dodgers publicly acknowledge it or not. They've decided giving him the ball with the game on the line doesn't give them the best chance to win the World Series.
Instead, the high-leverage late innings will be distributed on a case-by-case basis. On Monday, manager Dave Roberts chose Blake Treinen to pitch the ninth inning with the score tied against the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
Disaster struck five pitches into the outing. Austin Riley, Atlanta's No. 9 hitter, launched a 98-mph sinker 448 feet over the left-center wall at Globe Life Field to ignite many of the first fans to attend a Major League Baseball game in 2020.
The Braves tacked on another run before Treinen was removed and two more on Ozzie Albies' homer off Jake McGee to complete a 5-1 win. The Braves improved to 6-0 in the postseason. The Dodgers suffered their first loss. Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday at 5:05 p.m. CDT.
The gates to a Major League Baseball game opened to fans for the first time since March at 5 p.m. local time. The people, the first to attend an event inside this new $1.2 billion building, entered through doors beyond the left-field wall.
Several dozen lined the first row of outfield seats as the Braves took batting practice. They were eager to catch a BP home run and seemingly not worried about catching COVID-19. They tested MLB's rule mandating fans not to come within 20 feet of any players. A few had players shagging balls throw them one. Most wore masks. Some didn't. Others didn't wear them properly. Social distancing was treated as optional.
Those fans dispersed when the Braves finished their session. The first six rows of seats in those sections were then warded off. They scattered to the crowded concourse and settled into their pods spaced out throughout the ballpark. MLB announced an attendance of 10,700 and said every ticket for the game was sold.
Braves fans were louder, though a strong contingent of Dodgers fans showed up. Some cheered for starting pitcher Walker Buehler as he walked out to the bullpen before the game to warm up. They showered him with the first chants of the 2020 season.
The spectators' presence gave the game a different vibe. The atmosphere was lifted several notches. The game felt a bit ... normal, even with the empty seats and PA announcer's occasional safety protocol reminder.
Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman, a leading NL MVP candidate, gave Atlanta's fans the first reason to cheer.
Freeman hit .431 with nine home runs against fastballs during the regular season. He displayed his prowess again in the first inning when he clobbered a 97-mph fastball from Buehler 111.6 mph off the bat. It landed 429 feet away, over the right-field wall, to give the Braves a 1-0 lead two batters into the game. "M-V-P" chants serenaded Freeman during his trot.
But the Braves lost some firepower when Adam Duvall injured his left oblique taking a swing in the second inning. The left fielder left the game immediately and likely will miss the remainder of the series. Cristian Pache, the Braves' top prospect, replaced him.
Buehler wasn't sharp again as the blister remained an issue. According to the TV broadcast, Buehler had both the index and middle fingers bandaged during his bullpen session Saturday _ not just the index finger where his blister problem initially surfaced.
After setting a career high with four walks in four innings in Game 1 of the NL Division Series, he established a new mark with five walks before the end of the fourth inning. But the Braves didn't capitalize. They stranded five runners and went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position in the first four innings.
As a result, Buehler managed to pitch into the sixth inning for the first time since Aug. 21, when his blister surfaced, but didn't get an out. He departed after yielding back-to-back singles to begin the inning. He was erratic but stuck out seven. He threw 100 pitches, becoming the first Dodgers pitcher to reach a triple-digit pitch count in 2020.
It was on Brusdar Graterol to clean up the mess. It was a quick scrubbing. The right-hander, throwing his 99-mph sinker as easy as ever, retired the next three batters with six pitches.
Max Fried's six innings were cleaner. He allowed one run on four hits and two walks. He struck out nine. His only costly mistake was a hanging curveball to Kike Hernandez in an 0-2 count in the fifth inning. Hernandez lifted it over the left field wall for a solo home run to tie the score. It was the first hit of the postseason for Hernandez, who made his first playoff start because a left-hander was on the mound.
Fried left with the game tied. Atlanta threatened to break it open in the eighth inning. Marcell Ozuna led off with a double against Dustin May. The next two batters were retired before the Dodgers elected to intentionally walk Dansby Swanson. The Braves countered by having Pablo Sandoval, the former San Francisco Giant, pinch-hit. May plunked him to load the bases.
The Dodgers then gave the ball to rookie left-hander Victor Gonzalez to face former Dodger Charlie Culberson. He struck him out to escape the jam in the biggest spot of his career. Treinen capsized from there.
