MLB Picks: Los Angeles Dodgers vs Atlanta Braves NLCS Odds, Predictions 10/13/20

The Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers meet Tuesday in National League Championship Series MLB action from Globe Life Field. 

This will be Game 2 in a best-of-seven NLCS matchup between the Braves and Dodgers. In the Game 1 opener on Monday evening, we had a tight game for eight innings as Atlanta and Los Angeles were tied at 1-1. The Braves broke through with four runs in the top of the ninth on the way to a 5-1 win and an early lead in the series. Check back all season long for free MLB picks and MLB predictions at Sports Chat Place. 

Atlanta got a big lift from Austin Riley in the ninth inning with a solo homer, and Ozzie Albies added a two-run shot as part of his 2-for-5 evening. Braves starting pitcher Max Fried went 6.0 innings with four hits, one earned, two walks and nine strikeouts.
As the Game 2 starting pitcher, Atlanta will go with Ian Anderson on the mound. Anderson went 3-2 over six starts this season with a 1.95 ERA and 41 Ks in 32.1 innings. This postseason Anderson is 2-0 with a clean ERA and 17 Ks in 11.2 innings. 

Over on the Dodgers’ side, they couldn’t find much offense in Game 1 outside of an Enrique Hernandez homer in the fifth inning. Los Angeles posted just four hits on the night and drew only two walks. Starting pitcher Walker Buehler managed 5.0 innings with three hits, one earned, five walks and seven strikeouts in a no-decision. 

In the Tuesday starting pitcher role, the Dodgers will send out Clayton Kershaw. This year Kershaw was 6-2 with a 2.16 ERA in 10 starts, alongside 62 Ks in 58.1 innings. Over his postseason career Kershaw is 11-11 with a 4.23 ERA and 189 Ks in 172.1 innings. 

The Braves are 5-0 in their last five overall and 5-0 in their last five playoff games. Atlanta is 4-1 in their last five Tuesday games and 5-2 in the last seven versus a left-handed starter. 

Meanwhile, the Dodgers are 41-13 in their last 54 overall and 21-5 in their last 26 Tuesday games. Los Angeles is 62-22 in their last 84 games versus a right-handed starter and 41-13 in their last 54 on grass. 

PICK: I’m going to stick with the Dodgers here. Kershaw has had his postseason ups and downs over his career, but this season he’s 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 19 Ks in 14.0 frames. Kershaw also has a 0.43 career postseason ERA versus the Braves, so that’s a good sign as well. Anderson should come out and thitem well in this one also, so I like this game as a tight, low-scoring affair decided in the later innings.