The Braves Are Cursed in the Playoffs and That's Just the Way it is
By Chris Pyo
The Atlanta Braves just don't have that clutch gene within their DNA to win a Game 1 in a postseason series.
After losing 7-6 to the St. Louis Cardinals in the first game of the NLDS, the Braves have now officially lost their last nine postseason Game 1 matchups. That's just pitiful.
The Braves have lost 9 straight postseason Game 1 matchups.
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 4, 2019
That is the longest Game 1 losing streak in MLB history. pic.twitter.com/1TJr0SsIK0
Teams are meant to set the tone for the rest of the series with their Game 1 performances. Here, the Braves had a prime opportunity to reverse this stat and gain control of the series, but instead, they squandered this golden opportunity (they were up 3-1 in the top of the eighth) and now find themselves in a hole.
It definitely doesn't help when your phenom player still struggles with hustling out balls. What a difference that could've made, having a runner in scoring position instead of on first with no outs.
Ronald Acuna Jr. almost hits a home run but just misses and ends up with a single #ChopOn pic.twitter.com/CS73eMY3Xy
— Jimmy Clarke (@JimmyClarke) October 3, 2019
Not even Braves legend Chipper Jones catching a foul ball in the ninth inning could help Atlanta pull this one out. You can't tell us the Braves aren't cursed in the postseason.