UNDATED (AP) _ The St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers have taken Game 1 of their respective National League Division Series. The Redbirds did it with a pair of late rallies, while the Dodgers relied on their outstanding pitching.The Cards scored twice in the eighth inning and erupted for four runs in the ninth off Mark Melancon (meh-LAN’-suhn) to earn a 7-6 win over the Braves.
Marcell Ozuna (oh-ZOO’-nah) delivered a tiebreaking, two-run double and scored
on Kolten Wong’s two-run double that put the Cardinals ahead, 7-3.
The Braves almost tied it in the bottom of the ninth. Ronald Acuna Jr. belted a two-run homer off Carlos Martinez with nobody out before the Cardinals closer served up a solo shot by Freddie Freeman. Martinez managed to hang onto the lead by retiring Josh Donaldson on a grounder and fanning Nick Markakis to end it.
Acuna also was criticized by teammates and manager Brian Snitker for failing to run out a long fly ball in the seventh inning. The drive caromed off the wall for a would-be double, but Acuna had to settle for a single after electing to admire his hit instead of running hard to first.
The Braves held a 3-1 lead in the eighth until Paul Goldschmidt hit a solo homer and Matt Carpenter delivered an RBI single.
Braves starter Dallas Keuchel (KY’-kul) was lifted after 4 2/3 innings, charged with one run on five hits and three walks. Miles Mikolas (MY’-koh-las) lasted five innings for the Redbirds, limiting Atlanta to one run and three hits.
In Los Angeles, Walker Buehler (BYOO’-lur) combined with three relievers on a two-hitter as the Dodgers whipped the Nationals, 6-0. Buehler was fantastic for six innings, striking out eight and holding Washington to one hit. He worked around three walks and didn’t allow a hit after Juan Soto’s leadoff single in the top of the second.
Washington starter and loser Patrick Corbin got off to a shaky start, walking four batters in the bottom of the first to force in the eventual winning run.
Max Muncy worked out the bases-loaded walk and later hit a two-run single that put the Dodgers ahead, 4-0.
Muncy had two of the Dodgers’ seven hits.
Pinch-hitters Gavin Lux and Joc Pederson capped the scoring with solo homers off Hunter Strickland in the eighth.
Both series resume on Friday.