ATLANTA — The Braves had a message for the Dodgers on Friday night, when Don Mattingly’s seventh-inning decision to intentionally walk little-used Reed Johnson to get to Braves star Jason Heyward blew up in the Dodgers manager’s face:
You’re Chopped!
Making big play after big play, the Braves beat the Dodgers 4-3 before a raucous crowd at Turner Field to even the NLDS one game apiece. When it was over, Braves catcher Gerald Laird put into words what his teammates have been feeling about America’s love affair with the Dodgers.
“I don’t think we get the respect we deserve from anybody,” Laird said, “and I honestly think it fuels some of our young guys. It’s L.A., and obviously they’ve got some big names on that team, they’ve got some great pitching. But you know, we have one of the best records in baseball for a reason.
“We had so many guys who embrace big moments,’’ noted the catcher, who threw out pinch-runner Dee Gordon in the ninth on a stolen base attempt. “I just think everything kinds of fuels us.
“Like I tell guys, we didn’t get lucky for six months. We’re a good baseball team, and I think we are as good as anyone in the postseason.’’
The Braves earned respect as the series shifts to Los Angeles for the next two games on Sunday and Monday.
The biggest hit of the game came from Heyward in the seventh. With the Braves leading 2-1 with two outs, Mattingly elected to walk Johnson to load the bases to set up a lefty versus lefty matchup with reliever Paco Rodriguez facing Heyward.
Johnson’s last hit came on July 28. He was 0-for-9 in September.
In the Braves dugout, there was complete confidence in Heyward and he responded with a two-run single to put the Braves up, 4-1.
Those became huge runs when Hanley Ramirez lofted a two-run home run in the eighth to cut the lead to 4-3.
Said Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said he thought Heyward was “a little bit excited,” getting that chance to hit when Johnson wass walked.
“I think that was a big situation and a great player came through right there,” Freeman said. “You always want to do something big when someone gets intentionally walked — bases loaded, two outs, there is no bigger situation. Jason has all the confidence in the world, that’s the guy we wanted up there.’’
Heyward agreed.
“Me personally, I’m glad to have an opportunity to come through big for my team right there, got a pitch and I didn’t miss it,” he said. “I was trying to grow up some in this game. This is the moment. This is the top.’’
Mattingly defended his playing the percentages of lefty versus lefty.
“Paco has been that guy all year,” Mattingly said. “He’s a guy we think gets Heyward out. Been getting those guys out all year long for us.’’
Not on this night. It was a tough game for Mattingly as several of his decisions backfired.
“I mean, you think you look at everything, you could have did this, you could have did that,’’ he said. “So I think you look at it and you look at it honestly and see what you think.’’
Heyward has come back from a broken jaw. He is one tough player.
The Braves are one tough team and reliever Luis Avilan turned a double play in the top of the seventh with runners on first and third and Carl Crawford at the plate. Crawford hit a comebacker and while all his teammates were yelling for Avilan to throw the ball home to get the sure out, he gambled and threw to second to start the inning-ending double play.
“The dugout was yelling ‘four, four, four,’ but that kid has been pitching big innings all year,’’ Laird said. “He’s got big guts.’’
The Braves showed Friday night they are a team that deserves respect.