NLCS Bracket 2021: Updated Dates, Times, Schedule and World Series Odds

The National League Championship Series is heading west with the underdog Atlanta Braves up 2-0 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Despite winning just 88 games to the Dodgers' 106 games in the regular season, the Braves have home-field advantage because they won the NL East, while the Dodgers came into the postseason as a wild card. The Braves didn't disappoint their fans at Truist Park, winning both games on walk-off singles in the ninth inning.

Austin Riley was the hero in Game 1 on Saturday, and Eddie Rosario followed up with the encore in Game 2 on Sunday night.

With those two dramatic walk-offs, the Braves are on the verge of running away with this series. With the two teams now headed to Dodger Stadium, here's a look at the remaining schedule and latest World Series odds.

2021 NLCS Remaining Schedule, Championship Odds

Game 3 (at LA): Tuesday, Oct. 19, at 5:08 p.m. ET (Walker Buehler vs. Charlie Morton)

Game 4 (at LA): Wednesday, Oct. 20, at 8:08 p.m. ET (Julio Urias vs. TBD)

*Game 5 (at LA): Thursday, Oct. 21, at 8:08 p.m. ET

*Game 6 (at ATL): Saturday, Oct. 23, at 5:08 p.m. ET

*Game 7 (at ATL): Sunday, Oct. 24, at 7:38 p.m. ET

* if necessary

World Series odds (via DraftKings): Braves +205 (bet $100 to win $205), Astros +220, Dodgers +320, Red Sox +380

Aggressive Baserunning Pays Off for Braves

It's not often a third base coach gets even a share of the spotlight in a postseason game, but that's exactly what happened in Atlanta's 5-4 win over the Dodgers in Game 2. Ron Washington's decision to wave his players home paid off twice for the Braves.

The first and more daring decision of the two was when Washington sent Rosario on an Ozzie Albies single to right in the eighth inning. The sprint and slide beat Steven Souza Jr.'s throw, cutting the Dodgers lead to 4-3. 

Albies probably could have gone to second on that play, but it didn't matter—not with his speed and Washington's feel for the moment. With a clear green light from his coach, Albies raced from first to home on a warning-track double from Riley to tie the game up at four and set the stage for Rosario's ninth-inning heroics.

Washington never second-guessed his decisions.

"I'm never doubting my sends," Washington said after the game, per MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. "If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I've just got to eat it."

As DiComo noted, the Braves ranked fourth in the major leagues in extra bases taken, defined as when runners advance more than one base on a single and more than two on a double.

That willingness to take chances is crucial when an underdog is going up against an offensive juggernaut. The Dodgers ranked fourth in the majors in runs scored, and even though their hitting has been uneven in the playoffs, they are liable to break out at any moment. The Braves can't afford to strand many runners, so it helps to have a coach like Washington who isn't afraid to go for the throat when the game is on the line.

Dodgers Pitching in Tough Spot

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

The Dodgers desperately need a win in Game 3, and it would be nice if starting pitcher Walker Buehler could go deep into the game while doing it. The pitching staff needs a breather. 

L.A. used eight pitchers in Game 1 and seven pitchers in Game 2. Max Scherzer lasted just 4.1 innings Sunday night, the start coming three days after he got the save in the Dodgers' 2-1 win over San Francisco in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. 

Julio Urias, who is expected to start Game 4 on Wednesday, ended up getting called in for an inning of work and gave up two runs. Blake Treinen, Kenley Jansen, Joe Kelly and Alex Vesia all made appearances in the first two games of the series. It's a precarious situation down two games to none.

"My arm was dead," Scherzer told reporters after the game. "I could tell when I was warming up that it was still tired."

With Clayton Kershaw injured, manager Dave Roberts doesn't have a fourth starter he can turn to with confidence, and he's burning through arms in high-leverage scenarios. Cory Knebel has started during two "bullpen" days already this postseason.

If Buehler can't give his team a quality start Tuesday, it's going to put incredible strain on the relievers. Roberts' only potential innings-eater if disaster strikes is Tony Gonsolin, who gave up a run in 1.2 innings of work Saturday. (David Price isn't on the NLCS roster.)

The Braves have already shown a penchant for late-game heroics. It will only get easier for them in the clutch if they're going up against tired arms. 

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