The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies played the first game of the MLB postseason on Tuesday, and it was a thriller.
The Phillies held two separate one-run leads over the Braves, but Austin Riley's three-run home run in the eighth inning off Jhoan Duran sealed the deal for the Braves. Duran was an All-Star and allowed just two home runs in the regular season. However, Don Mattingly stretched him out for two innings on Tuesday, and the Braves made him pay.
The Braves won the National League East this year, despite the Phillies coming into the year as favorites. The Braves, with a new manager and some unlikely producers, have given fans an unforgettable season. They, however, know there's work to be done. Mauricio Dubón kept it real when describing this year's Braves team after the comeback win.
"We're (expletive) dawgs, bro," Dubón told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Ken Sugiura after the game. "We're dawgs."
Dubón was acquired by the Braves in November and will be a free agent after the season. He has surprisingly become a vital piece for the Braves this year. He has played second base, third base, shortstop, left field and center field this year.
He was tied for fourth in RBIs on the team and stole the third-most bases. His .276 batting average and .719 OPS have been pivotal for the Braves this year. He notched one jhit in the Braves win on Tuesday, and will look to help them win the series on Wednesday.