While all the hype entering the postseason was on the other division series in the National League (for obvious reasons), there was a series just as exciting happening between the Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers. Both teams entered the series with great pitching and it provided what turned out to be an exciting series full of pinch hit home runs, baserunning mistakes, and great, GREAT pitching.

It all started in Game 1. We knew coming in that pitching would be the key in this series and that was made clear from the very beginning. Milwaukee sent out their ace, Cy Young candidate Corbin Burnes, while Atlanta countered with a postseason veteran in Charlie Morton. The first inning of Game 1 saw our first action on the basepaths of the series as Jorge Soler was thrown at home to keep the game scoreless. This would prove to be crucial as both starters were dealing through the opening game.

The key moment of Game 1 came in the bottom of the 7th inning with Morton still in the game for Atlanta. After Avisail Garcia got on, Rowdy Tellez hit a home run off the center field scoreboard to give the Brewers the lead. Despite giving up a solo shot to pinch hitter Joc Pederson the following inning, the Brewers bullpen would stand strong and shut the door to give Milwaukee the win and the series lead.

The following day, Game 2 saw another great pitching matchup. For Milwaukee it was Brandon Woodruff while Atlanta countered with Max Fried. Fried was a key player in Atlanta’s 2nd half resurgence and he would a key player in Atlanta evening the series. Fried went 6 shutout innings striking out nine while only giving up three hits. Woodruff was good as well but Atlanta was able to scratch a couple runs off against him. Freddie Freeman singled in a run in the top of the 3rd followed by an Ozzie Albies double that brought home Freeman. An Austin Riley homer in the 6th was the punctuation mark in a 3-0 Braves win.

So the series shifted to Atlanta with momentum on the side of the Braves. What followed in Game 3? why another pitcher’s duel of course. Ian Anderson of Atlanta and Freddy Peralta of Milwaukee were today’s combatants. Despite throwing well though, both started didn’t last long. Peralta went 4 innings while Anderson went 5 as both teams struggled to find offense. The key moment of Game 3 came in the bottom of the 5th. With two runners on, Atlanta called on Joc Pederson to pinch hit for pitcher Ian Anderson. The result? a three run home run, his 2nd pinch hit home run of the series that ended up being the only scoring of the game. For the 2nd straight game, the Braves win by a score of 3-0.

This brings us to Game 4. With Milwaukee needing a win to stay alive, they called on Eric Lauer to keep their season alive. Atlanta, sensing the chance to end it, called on Game 1 starter Charlie Morton. This game provided what had not happened in the first three, offense. In the 4th, RBI Singles from Omar Narvaez and Lorenzo Cain gave the Brewers a 2-0 lead. Atlanta immediately responded though with a 2 RBI single by Eddie Rosario in the bottom half bringing the game back to even. The following inning, the offensive outburst continued. With Christian Yellich on, Rowdy Tellez hit his 2nd home run of the series to immediately restore the Brewers two run lead. Again though the Braves came back with two runs in the bottom half to level the game at 4.

It stayed this way until the bottom of the 8th. Milwaukee closer Josh Hader was in to face Braves star Freddie Freeman. Freeman jumped on the first pitch and hit it over the outfield wall to give the Braves the lead. It was the first time in over a year that Hader had given up a home run to a left handed batter. In the 9th, Will Smith shut the door on Milwaukee to send the Braves to their 2nd straight NLCS.

This was a thrilling series. At the beginning we were promised good pitching and that pitching delivered throughout the series. We saw 4 games in which every run was crucial, knowing it may the only chance of the game to get runs off of the opposing pitching. Ultimately it was Atlanta’s pitching and some clutch home runs that proved to be the difference.