Forum allgemein » The odds are still overwhelming in favor of the Lo

ATLANTA —s Angeles Dodgers http://www.diamondbacksfanproshop.com/authentic-nick-ahmed-jersey , but at least the Atlanta Braves still have a chance in their National League Division Series.After the Milwaukee Brewers swept the Colorado Rockies to advance to the NL Championship Series earlier Sunday, the Dodgers had a chance to do the same at SunTrust Park.The Braves, though, bounced back from two shutouts in Los Angeles to edge the Dodgers 6-5 and force a Game 4 in Atlanta on Monday. If needed, Game 5 would be Wednesday at Los Angeles.Article continues below ...Freddie Freeman hit a tie-breaking homer in the sixth inning after the Braves had let a five-run lead slip away and closer Arodys Vizcaino pulled off an escape act in the ninth inning with three strikeouts to spoil the Dodgers’ sweep hopes.Only 10 of the previous 80 teams that lost the first two games of a division series have come back to win. The Braves are trying to beat the long odds as the 11th.“I like our chances,” Freeman said. “Nobody picked us to be here, so why not prove people wrong again. We can do it.”Right-hander Mike Foltynewicz, who lost the series opener in Los Angeles on Thursday, will get the Game 4 start for the Braves Jake Lamb Jersey , while the Dodgers will call on left-hander Rich Hill.Hill, who hasn’t worked since pitching seven scoreless innings at San Francisco last Sunday, won his last five regular-season starts to finish 11-5 and is 5-0 with 1.74 ERA in nine games against the Braves.Foltynewicz was 13-10 with a 2.85 ERA in the regular-season but lasted just two innings in Game 1 while giving up a lead-off homer by Joc Pederson and a three-run blast by Max Muncy an inning later.“Fifty pitches. He’s good. That’s just a workout,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “Quite honestly, I’d rather start him than have him coming in behind somebody. He’s raring to go and itching to get the ball. It’s still elimination, so we’re going to try and go with the best we got.”The Dodgers overcame a five-run Braves second inning highlighted by rookie Ronald Acuna Jr.’s grand slam but couldn’t cash in on their chances after Freeman put the Braves back ahead.The Dodgers have seven homers in the NLDS, but just 10 other hits. Los Angeles, which received nine walks, left nine runners on base http://www.diamondbacksfanproshop.com/authentic-robbie-ray-jersey , including four in the final two innings.“The seventh, eighth and ninth, we had our chances,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We couldn’t get that one extra hit.”Acuna, at age 20, is the youngest major leaguer to hit a bases-loaded homer in the postseason. Mickey Mantle did it at 21 for the New York Yankees in the 1953 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers.Acuna, who hit 26 homers in the regular season, had a double and single in Game 2 and followed that up impressively on Sunday. He is batting .273 (3-for-11) while Atlanta is hitting .144 in the series.“He continues to amaze,” Freeman said. ‘He’s been doing it all year and he continued it in the playoffs. He’s pretty incredible Jeff Mathis Jersey , and everybody is starting to get to see it.” CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — With spring training underway, Philadelphia Phillies president Andy MacPhail is certain his team is built to win right now.As for adding someone like outfielder Bryce Harper or third baseman Manny Machado, he’s not fueling any speculation.“There’s been no shortage of brainpower devoted to trying to size up players that are available to us and what they bring,” MacPhail said. “We are uniquely poised right now because they are some great talents out there. They could go to any club and make a significant difference.”MacPhail said the goal is to win immediately and set up the Phillies to have a long window to compete for championships.“(Owner) John Middleton wants to win, all of our ownership group wants to win,” MacPhail said. “Really for that matter all 29 different owners want to win.”“I think the thing that separates John is that if we won this year he’d want to win just as much next year and the year after that. That why it’s important to us to make sure we have enough resources to address future as they evolve from year to year to year,” he said.BACK TO FIRSTRhys Hoskins’ move from the outfield to first base should help the Phillies improve their defense. Manager Gabe Kapler said the shift likely will help Hoskins produce bigger numbers at the plate.Hoskins led the Phillies last season with 34 home runs, 38 doubles http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-nick-markakis-jersey , 96 RBIs and a .496 slugging percentage. But his defense wasn’t nearly at the same caliber, something that Kapler believes weighed on his mind heavily.“(Hoskins) went through periods of time where he was focused on his defense and sometimes that didn’t enable him to focus on his offense,” Kapler said. “So now that he’s at his more comfortable position at first base I think we’re going to see an improved offensive performer.”CROWDED OUTFIELDWith newcomer Andrew McCutchen likely to be the Phillies’ starting left fielder, Kapler will be looking at several options for the other two outfield spots to see who might emerge.“There is a competition for playing time in center field and right field,” Kapler said. “Odubel Herrera, Roman Quinn, Aaron Altherr and Nick Williams are all in line for reps and are competing to take down the majority of those reps.”Williams, who hit .256 with 17 home runs and 50 RBIs in 407 at-bats, said he is looking forward to the opportunity.“It’s going to be good competition Babe Ruth Jersey ,” Williams said. “Everyone is going to push the next man to be better and that’s a good thing for the team.”The 24-year-old Williams is also excited about the addition of McCutchen to the team and says he wants to soak up all the knowledge the former NL MVP is willing to share.“I’ve already told him I might pick his brain all season long,” Williams said. “With all the young outfielders it’s good to have someone that’s done it all — Gold glove, MVP, everything. He’s a great teammate as well and a great guy to lean on.”SO MANY POSSIBILITIESKapler said he’s has a good sense of what the middle of the Phillies lineup will look like with Hoskins, catcher J.T. Realmuto and shortstop Jean Segura all expected to be in those slots.But Kapler also wants to be flexible with McCutchen, who could bat at the top of the order or anywhere in the top five or six positions. Second baseman Cesar Hernandez has spent the bulk of the last three seasons in the leadoff position.“I think it’s going to be different on different nights, a lot of that is going to be based on the opposing starting pitcher,” Kapler said. “We have some options. We’ll look at the starting pitcher and slot our guys where they feel most comfortable.”