Riley's game-winning single in 9th lifts Braves past Dodgers

ATLANTA (AP) — A couple of clutch swings from breakout slugger Austin Riley got the underdog Atlanta Braves off to a fast start in the NL Championship Series.

Riley homered and drove in the winning run with a single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Atlanta a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 on Saturday night.

Blake Treinen struck out Freddie Freeman to open the ninth before giving up Ozzie Albies' bloop single to center field. Albies stole second before Riley followed with his line drive into the left-field corner.

"That was my mindset — put something in play and see what happens,” Riley said after delivering the first walk-off hit of his career.

The 24-year-old slugger spread his arms in celebration as he rounded first base before getting mobbed by teammates in a happy swarm that carried into shallow center field.

“As soon as he hit it, I took off,” Albies said. “I started yelling, screaming all the way to home plate.”

Riley also homered in the fourth. The third baseman set career highs across the board for NL East champion Atlanta this year in his third major league season, batting .303 with 33 homers, 107 RBIs and an .898 OPS in a league-leading 160 games.

“He’s come a long way in a short time, I feel like. Even last year, I think that he didn’t have all these tools. He can beat you in so many ways now, and he always had that power, but now he’s putting together such good at-bats,” Dodgers infielder Trea Turner said.

“He’s a polished hitter and hats off to him because I think he’s gotten to the point where he’s been a really good player and there’s a reason why fans are chanting MVP for him.”

The teams are meeting in the NL Championship Series for the second consecutive season. The...

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