'Joc-tober' continues: Braves blank Brewers again, lead NLDS 2-1

ATLANTA - The Braves have taken a 2-1 lead in critical Game Three of their NL Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Braves blanked the Brewers 3-0 on Monday afternoon as the best-of-five series moved back to Atlanta.

In a matchup dominated by pitching, Ian Anderson and the Braves bullpen combined on a five-hitter and won by a 3-0 score for the second straight game.

Boosted by shortstop Dansby Swanson’s athletic defense, Atlanta can try to reach its second straight NL Championship Series when it hosts Game 4 on Tuesday.

Adam Duvall made a crucial baserunning mistake when he tried to advance from first to second as Austin Riley tried to score from third on d’Arnaud’s flyball in the second. Left fielder Christian Yelich nailed Duvall for the third out before Riley crossed the plate, costing Atlanta a run.

Milwaukee center fielder Lorenzo Cain, running at full speed, crashed into the wire fence as he tried to catch Duvall’s drive in the fourth. Cain held the ball in his glove before hitting the ground and losing control. Cain stayed down as Duvall raced to third with the two-out triple.

Cain remained in the game after a visit from manager Craig Counsell and a trainer. Peralta struck out Eddie Rosario to end the inning.

Houser gave up singles to Travis d’Arnaud and Swanson to open the fifth. Pederson, hitting for Anderson, pulled a high fastball deep into the right-field seats for a 3-0 lead.

Fans might have been clutching their pearls through the fifth inning, but Joc Pederson was wearing his and clutching the bat. Pederson, using Anthony Rizzo's back, nailed one over the fence, putting the Braves up 3-0.

Pederson’s homer in the fifth inning was his second of the series. Each drive came as a pinch-hitter against Adrian Houser. Pederson singled as a pinch-hitter in his only other at-bat in this series, and has driven in four of Atlanta’s seven runs.

Pederson has hit 11 postseason home runs overall and helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series last year with his longballs. He then signed as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs in the winter and was traded to Atlanta in July.

The Brewers couldn’t score in the fifth after putting runners on second and third with no outs. Urías, hit by a pitch, moved to third on a double by Omar Narváez.

Anderson escaped when Cain’s sharp grounder was stopped by a diving Swanson, who held the baserunners before throwing to first. Urías was caught in a rundown on pinch-hitter Daniel Vogelbach’s grounder to third base, and Kolten Wong lined out to Freddie Freeman at first base to end the inning.

The Brewers were threatening to score in the eighth with runners on the corners after Luke Jackson walked Jace Peterson and gave up a one-out single to Willy Adames with one out, but Swanson turned an acrobatic double play to end the eighth.

Since winning the opening game of the series, the NL Central champion Brewers have not scored in 19 consecutive innings. They were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position in this loss.

The Brewers hit only .183 in the first two games of the series, including a 3-0 loss in Game 2. Counsell made one lineup change, inserting Luis Urías at third base for Eduardo Escobar.

Anderson was dominant for the NL East champion Braves, allowing three hits over five innings with no walks and six strikeouts. Will Smith, the fourth Braves reliever, pitched a perfect ninth for his second save of the series.

Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta pitched four scoreless innings and was pulled for a pinch-hitter when the Brewers threatened in the fifth.

Atlanta was able to keep Milwaukee scoreless.

VISITING BOBBY

Braves manager Brian Snitker said he visited with Hall of Fame former manager Bobby Cox on Sunday. Cox, 80, has made only infrequent visits to Truist Park since suffering a stroke in 2019.

"He’s excited," Snitker said. "He’s excited and watching all the games."

Snitker said Cox is "hanging in there" and said his visit "was good. He was all excited and jacked up about everything, that’s for sure."

UP NEXT

Milwaukee and Atlanta have not announced starting pitchers for Game 4 on Tuesday at 5:07 p.m. Snitker said "everybody is in play" including Game 1 starter Charlie Morton, who would be pitching on short rest. A possible option for the Brewers is LHP Eric Lauer.

The Braves could clinch a shot at the NL Championship Series with a win on Tuesday at Truist Park.

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