Streak breaker: Braves win first playoff series since 2001

ATLANTA (AP) — Picture this: The Atlanta Braves winning a playoff series for the first time in nearly a generation.

That's certainly worth a few fake selfies.

"I’m overcome with joy,” said slugging outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., who was not yet 4 years old the last time it happened.

Acuña did his part to end Atlanta's 19-year run of playoff futility, driving in the first run — the only run that would be needed, it turned out — to spark a 5-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds, completing a sweep of the best-of-three NL wild-card series.

“There’s a lot of energy there that’s contagious," Acuña said of his team.

There's also a lot of heartbreak for this franchise, which is best known for managing only one World Series title — a quarter-century ago — during its unprecedented run of 14 straight division titles.

Kings of the regular season.

Chokers of the postseason.

No matter where they played, whether it was Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium or Turner Field or their current home, Truist Park, the Braves always seemed to wind up hosting everybody else's playoff celebrations.

Finally, they got to hold one of their own, though it was certainly muted in this era of COVID-19.

After Adam Duvall tracked down the final out on a liner to left field, putting a capper on two dominant days of pitching by the Braves, closer Mark Melancon and catcher Travis d'Arnaud allowed themselves a brief hug in front of the mound. The rest of the players lined up across the infield, exchanging non-contact air chops on their way to the dugout.

There was no thunderous roar from a sellout crowd, though you could hear the cheers from a few hundred fans gathered in a plaza beyond the right-field stands to watch on a big screen. It was about as close as anyone could get, other than a small...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Streak-breaker-Braves-win-first-playoff-series-15614958.php