4 Braves to blame for flameout NLDS against Phillies
Kevin Pillar and Ronald Acuña Jr. left Braves high and dry
Bottom of the seventh inning. The Braves have the bases loaded, two outs. Ronald Acuña Jr., the presumptive National League MVP, steps to the plate with Kevin Pillar on third base. What a spot for Acuña to deliver a historic moment amid a historic season.
'Twas not to be.
First, Craig Kimbrel made a rare goof and tossed an errant pitch. It got past J.T. Realmuto and hit the backstop. Kimbrel was slow to process the situation and wasn't even halfway to home plate when Pillar record-scratched on his run home, deciding to turn back to third base instead of converting on a free opportunity to trim the Phillies' lead to one.
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— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 13, 2023
A brutal, game-changing mistake.
Acuña then smacked a ball to deep left-center. Phillies rookie Johan Rojas made a spectacular catch and the inning was over — Philadelphia somehow unscathed. It's hard to fault Acuña for a well-hit ball to the outfield, but he's the MVP. He has to come through in that moment and he couldn't.
He ended the night 0-for-4. That won't cut it for the MVP in an elimination game.