(Atlanta) Eddie Rosario slammed a major three-run homerun and the Atlanta Braves defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 on Saturday night to advance to the World Series.
With the score going 1-1 at the end of the fourth inning, with two runners on the trails and two outs, Rosario catapulted a Walker Buehler shot over the right field wall.
After the Dodgers closed the gap in the seventh inning, relievers Tyler Matzek, for two innings, and Will Smith, for the ninth, were perfect to help the Braves eliminate the defending World Series champions in six games.
The Atlanta Troops are playing in the Major League Baseball Finals for the first time since 1999 and will be looking for top honors for the first time since 1995.
PHOTO JOHN BAZEMORE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Travis d’Arnaud and Will Smith
The Braves will now take the road to Houston to face the Astros. The first game of the World Series is Tuesday evening.
This victory in a way allowed the Braves to avenge their failure of last year, against these same Dodgers in the Championship series of the National. The California team then erased a 1-3 delay before defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in six games in the World Series.
For the Braves, this is a rather unexpected course. They have only won 88 games this season, but they still won the title in the East section of the National.
The Dodgers had 106 wins this season, but they had the biggest payroll in Major League Baseball. However, they had to contend with injuries to pitchers Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw as well as infielders Max Muncy and Justin Turner.