For once, Braves fans can’t blame Brian Snitker for their faults

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The Atlanta Braves failed to fend off the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the NLCS, and it wasn’t manager Brian Snitker’s fault.

After Game 4, the Atlanta Braves entered familiar territory. They had a 3-1 NLCS lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers, exactly the same lead they had last year, which was then inflated. If the Braves won Game 5, they were part of the World Series for the first time since 1999.

Braves fans must have been feeling good, given that Max Fried was taking the mound. Instead, it turned into a nightmarish start for Atlanta, and the reigning World Series champions showed life in Game 5 and didn’t look like the squad like an elimination loss.

For once, the Braves fan base can’t blame manager Brian Snitker for a loss.

Max Fried’s nightmare start costs Braves chance to land NL pennant

Fried was coming out of a complete rest as he entered the win-and-lead game on Thursday night. The left-hander even had a 2-0 lead thanks to a homerun by star first baseman Freddie Freeman early in the first inning. Then, the bottom of the second round arrived.

For starters, Fried ceded a solo homerun to AJ Pollock only to see his lead shrink to 2-1. In the next at-bat, the left-hander gave up a single to veteran first baseman Albert Pujols. Chris Taylor then approached home plate and hit a double-barreled bomb in left field to take the lead. Oh, then there was the weird shot where he stung Trea Turner after being distracted by Cody Bellinger on first base.

Fried then ceded a single RBI to Taylor in the bottom of the third, allowing Los Angeles to extend their lead to 4-2.

Overall, Fried allowed five earned runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings of work. The southpaw recorded three strikeouts and two walks.

It just wasn’t a good time for Fried to lay an egg against the Dodgers. As much criticism as Snitker gets, he lost the defending World Series champions 106 wins before being sent home for the season.

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