The Braves were tied with the Dodgers 1-1 in the top of the seventh inning in an elimination game they absolutely had to win to stay alive.

Tyler Mahle was pitching a gem. He’d given up two hits in six innings, allowing only one unearned run. He got the first Dodger in the seventh inning to ground out. Then he committed the cardinal sin of allowing a base hit. It was the third hit he’d given up, all singles, and had tossed just 84 pitches. 

Then, the Braves manager committed the even bigger cardinal sin of removing a dominating starting pitcher for no reason at all, handing the ball to a reliever and handing another trip to the Championship Series to Los Angeles.

Before the inning was over, the Dodgers scored two runs on two walks and a single, sticking the dagger in the Braves’ season, and allowing the Dodgers to win the game 4-1 and eliminate Atlanta. All thanks to Atlanta’s manager Walt Weiss for giving them the chance.

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