ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 16: Austin Riley #27 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates after hitting a solo home run off Tony Gonsolin #26 of the Los Angeles Dodgers (not pictured) during the fourth inning of Game One of the National League Championship Series at Truist Park on October 16, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Baseball fans lost their minds after Austin Riley’s walk-off single to give the Atlanta Braves the Game 1 victory.
The NLCS officially kicked off on Saturday night, with the Atlanta Braves looking for some payback against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who defeated them in seven games last year. If there was a star for the game for Atlanta, it was definitely third baseman Austin Riley.
With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Riley stepped up to the plate with Ozzie Albies on second base following a single and a stolen base. On Blake Treinen’s second pitch thrown in the at-bat, Riley sent the baseball to the gap in left field, allowing Albies to run home and clinch the 3-2 victory.
Baseball fans gave Riley his props on Twitter after he walked things off at Truist Park on Staurday evening.
Austin Riley shines as star of NLCS Game 1
After Eddie Rosario scored on a wild pitch thrown by Corey Knebel in the bottom of the first inning, the Braves’ 1-0 led turned into a 2-1 deficit. following an RBI single by Chris Taylor in the second and a solo home run by Will Smith in the fourth. That all changed in the bottom of the fourth, as Riley hit a home run into the left field stands to tie things up.
Then, Riley solidified his status as the Game 1 hero with his walk-off single in the ninth.
The Braves know the Dodgers well. They were just one win away from reaching the World Series last year for the first time since 1999, but their 3-1 NLCS lead disappeared by Los Angeles. To make matters worse, the Dodgers went on to win the Commissioner’s trophy in six games. The Braves want to put that in the past and end this series early.
Atlanta will look to take a 2-0 series lead with a victory on Sunday night.