Braves offense fails to score in pivotal game two loss

For Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers tonight couldn’t have gone any better.

The game started off with a bang as Ronald Acuña Jr. led off with a double to deep left center field. However, that was just about all the offense the Braves could muster against future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw.

Anibal Sanchez was pretty good tonight by normal standards, but a two run home run allowed to Manny Machado in the first inning paired with a solo shot by Yasmani Grandal in the fifth was all the Dodgers would need.

The bright side for the Braves in all of this madness is that their bullpen is actually performing well. Their starters have yielded seven of the nine runs Los Angeles has scored in the first two games despite only having their starters go a combined seven innings.

Now as the series shifts to Atlanta with the Braves down 2-0 in a best of three series, every game becomes a win-or-stay-home type of affair. This really was the game Atlanta needed to have in order to have any good outlook going forward in this series.

Not only did Clayton Kershaw absolutely demolish the Atlanta lineup tonight, but he also saved his bullpen which only had to use Kenley Jansen to close things up. With rookie Walker Buehler slated to start game three on Sunday at SunTrust Park the Dodgers pen is expected to be at full strength which is terrifying.

Things aren’t looking great for Atlanta right now, but when you step back and realize how amazing it is that this team is even in this position right now you almost get a sense of excitement for how good this team can be with a couple of additions in free agency and on the trade market this offseason.

This is simply the beginning of a new Braves era so despite what happens in the remainder of this series just make sure to stay optimistic and chop on.