Mike Foltynewicz Throws 7 Shutout Innings as Braves Take Game 2 vs. Cardinals

The Atlanta Braves leveled the 2019 National League Division Series at one game apiece Friday with a 3-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 2 at SunTrust Park.

Atlanta held a 3-1 lead in Game 1 before setup man Chris Martin suffered an oblique injury while warming up before the eighth inning, sparking a six-run barrage by the Cards over the final two frames. It made Friday's game a virtual must-win situation for the Braves.

A stellar outing by Mike Foltynewicz paired with a clutch home run by Adam Duvall off the bench helped the NL East champions avoid a 2-0 series hole.

St. Louis still heads back to the Gateway City with home-field advantage in the NLDS after posting a 50-31 record at home in the regular season, which was tied for the third-best mark in the Senior Circuit.

Notable Game Stats

SP Mike Foltynewicz (ATL): 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K (Win)

SP Jack Flaherty (STL): 7 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K (Loss)

CL Mark Melancon (ATL): 1 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (Save)

3B Josh Donaldson (ATL): RBI single in the 1st

LF Adam Duvall (ATL): Pinch-hit 2-run HR in the 7th

Cardinals' Offense: 6 hits and 0 walks

Foltynewicz Rediscovering Ace Form at Perfect Time

Foltynewicz finished eighth in NL Cy Young Award voting in 2018 after a breakout season that included a 2.85 ERA and 1.08 WHIP across 31 starts.

The 27-year-old Illinois native didn't look like the same pitcher early this year. He started the season in Triple-A to complete his recovery from an elbow injury and struggled upon getting called up. He compiled a 6.37 ERA across 11 starts before getting sent back to the minors in June.

Foltynewicz was back on track by the time he returned to Atlanta in August. He posted a 2.65 ERA after the All-Star break, the best of any Braves starter, to earn a berth in the postseason rotation.

He was downright dominant Friday night to put the team on his back when it needed him most. Gone were the visible signs of frustration that plagued him during his early-season struggles, replaced by the bulldog mentality he showcased throughout 2018.

Based on Martin's injury, the Braves have shifted Max Fried to the bullpen—he pitched a scoreless eighth inning Friday—which means they will likely go with a three-man rotation in the series.

That places Foltynewicz in the critical Game 5 slot, if necessary. Should the series make it that far, Atlanta will enter the deciding game with confidence its revitalized ace will be on the mound.

Cardinals' Bats Must Bounce Back at Home

St. Louis took advantage of a late-inning meltdown by the Braves' bullpen in Game 1, but it will need to start making some earlier offensive noise to win the series.

The Cards have generated one run in 11.2 innings against Atlanta's starters in the series. It's given the Braves offense, which has also sputtered aside from its big ninth in Game 1, enough time to grind out the runs necessary to level the series.

Normally returning home is a positive sign for any team. St. Louis has seen virtually no difference in production at Busch Stadium this season, though. It actually posted a slightly better OPS on the road (.739) than it did in its friendly confines (.736) in 2019.

The key could be attacking more first pitches. They watched Foltynewicz, who can sometimes be erratic, throw a lot of strikes to open at-bats Friday.

A more aggressive approach is needed against Mike Soroka and Dallas Keuchel, who don't feature the same high-end strikeout stuff as the Braves' Game 2 starter, over the next two games at home.

What's Next?

Game 3 is scheduled for Sunday afternoon with first pitch at Busch Stadium set for 4:10 p.m. ET. The Cardinals will send Adam Wainwright to the mound. The Braves are going to counter with Soroka.