The Braves could look much different in 2020. As a ballplayer, you live for teams like this.” Being around these guys every day, it was a joy to be around. I know this organization has a bright future ahead of it. “We’ll see,” Donaldson said about his future. “I enjoyed being here. The biggest decision revolves around Donaldson, who’ll re-enter free agency looking for a sizable multi-year commitment. The rotation and bullpen are littered with uncertainties. McCann announced his retirement after the game, while fellow backstop Tyler Flowers, outfielder Nick Markakis and starter Julio Teheran have team options. The outfield around Ronald Acuna is unset. This one will center on who’s going, who’s coming and how this group can get over the hump. Last offseason was about supplementing an ahead-of-schedule core. The grotesque first frame launched the Braves into a winter of questions. Unfortunately that’s how this game goes sometimes.” Explore RELATED: Cardinals manager blasts Braves ![]() “Worst nightmare coming true,” Swanson said. “Things that completely went their way. Freeman had a chance to at least make his bottom line look better when he hit with the bases loaded in the fifth, but he grounded into a force-out at second. The Braves’ run came on Donaldson’s solo shot in the fourth off Flaherty. The Cardinals would tag on three more “just in case” runs during the game. “You put this thing together, your goal is to get in the playoffs because anything can happen after that,” Snitker said. The Braves were shrouded in sarcastic cheers from a crowd that had just witnessed an abomination unlike any other the franchise has suffered. Molina grounded to third to mercifully end the inning. Fried induced the would-be third out when he struck out Ozuna, but the ball eluded catcher Brian McCann, allowing Ozuna to reach and Wong to score the 10th run. Goldschmidt flew out to right, finally producing the second out in the inning. Wong doubled to center, scoring another pair. “More shock than anything,” third baseman Josh Donaldson said. “You don’t expect something like that to happen, especially with how well we’ve played all season.”įried’s outing didn’t get any better. Fowler, who entered the day 1-for-17 in the series, doubled to left to make the score 7-0. So about the rest of those runs: Fried walked opposing starter Jack Flaherty upon entry, meaning Flaherty had an at-bat and RBI before taking the mound. It’s embarrassing, especially on a stage like this for millions of people to see.” For all this hard work for this team, these veterans to do, for it to come down to this and I don’t even give this team a chance before they even bat, it’s tough. “There’s not much to say, I got one out,” Foltynewicz said. “I’m very embarrassed. Foltynewicz, who was sensational in his seven scoreless innings against the Cardinals in Game 2, finished having pitched one-third of an inning, allowing seven runs (six earned) on three hits. He pulled Foltynewicz from the game, replacing him with lefty Max Fried. Foltynewicz intentionally walked Paul DeJong, re-loading the bases. Tommy Edman laced a double down the right-field line to add two more. Matt Carpenter, also drawing a full count, walked in the ensuing at-bat to score the second run. ![]() Everybody is going to say what they want to say but this one’s on me.” “All of it,” Freeman said, shouldering blame for the series. “I didn’t come through. The All-Star and MVP candidate was a non-factor, looking unsettled at the plate and falling victim to two of the most untimely defensive plays in the series: Wednesday's error and his attempt at snagging Molina's game-tying hit in Game 4, which scraped his glove but soared just out of his reach. The error was a microcosm of Freeman's series. He couldn’t field it cleanly, missing out on a possible double play and awarding the Cardinals the bases loaded with only one down. Yadier Molina hit a ball directly to Freeman. What happened next was the defining moment of the game. ![]() Marcell Ozuna, who’d tormented the Braves the entire series, smacked an 0-2 slider to right field for a 1-0 lead. Paul Goldschmidt singled to shortstop Dansby Swanson, who stopped the ball from entering the outfield but didn’t have a play. The Cardinals, playing small ball in what they surely expected to be a tight contest, had Kolten Wong bunt him over, giving the Braves the last out they’d see for a while. Foltynewicz lost a full-count battle with Dexter Fowler, putting the leadoff man on base. The brutality began with a common culprit of the Braves’ season: A walk. Explore RELATED: Photos of the sad scene at SunTrust Park
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