3 Bold Predictions for Braves vs. Dodgers NLCS Game 5

Last season in the MLB Playoff bubble down in Arlington, Texas, the Atlanta Braves held a 3-1 lead in the NLCS and ended up falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in three consecutive games to squander their NL Pennant dreams.

The Braves currently hold a 3-1 lead in the NLCS over the Dodgers once again, will they win the elusive pennant or will history repeat itself in 2021?

WynnBET Sportsbook has Los Angeles (-146) over Atlanta (+124) in Game 5.

If Los Angeles wants to climb back in this series, they’re going to need to be bold.

Here are three bold predictions for tonight’s NLCS Game 5 matchup.

The Total Will be UNDER 4.5 in the First Five Innings

Max Fried will be on the hill for Atlanta and Corey Knebel is expected to get the start for Los Angeles in a bullpen-game.

Fried got the start in Game 1 of the NLCS and threw six solid innings, allowing just two earned runs on eight hits and walking zero batters while striking out five. Fried now has a career 3.21 ERA in 42 postseason innings.

Knebel has allowed two earned runs in two appearances in the NLCS so far, but still has a 1.98 ERA in 13 ⅔ postseason innings in his career. Knebel should get the ball to a multi-innings reliever early before he gets taxed too heavily. 

Knebel also got the start in Game 1, which Atlanta won, 3-2.

Let's get a little more bold with the next one.

The Braves Will Get Shutout 

The Braves got to Julio Urias yesterday. The young lefty surrendered home runs to Eddie Rosario, Adam Duvall and Freddie Freeman. Atlanta also beat up on Tony Gonsolin, tagging him for three hits and four runs in just two innings.

Los Angeles lost Game 1 after going with a bullpen-game approach, but they should have a better idea on how to handle their pitching matchups in Game 5. Luckily, Gonsolin won’t be available.

Atlanta’s lineup has outperformed expectations, getting 10 or more hits in the last three games. That number falls back tonight, and so will the run total.

Will Smith to Hit a Home Run (+350)

In last season’s NLCS, Will Smith hit a home run in Game 5 off of Braves reliever Will Smith. Yes, he homered off a man with the same name.

That home run gave the Dodgers the lead in Game 5 and they would rattle off three wins in a row to win the series, and later on the World Series.

Sometimes, I got to go with a good omen. It happens again tonight.