The Atlanta Braves are leading a tight race for the NL East crown with the Phillies and Mets both within four games in the final few weeks of the season. And if the Braves are able to hold off their surging division rivals, a clutch decision from second baseman Ozzie Albies is going to deserve some of that credit.
The Braves opened up a long homestand on Tuesday with an 8-5 win over the Nationals. The game saw the Braves blow a 5-1 lead in the seventh inning. But with Atlanta needing a quick response, the switch-hitting Albies decided to take a different approach against right-handed pitcher Ryne Harper.
Instead of batting from the left side as he normally would, Albies stepped to the plate as a right-handed batter. Guess what happened next …
.@ozzie has now homered in FOUR straight games!#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/LwW4I1cqE7
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) September 8, 2021
Albies drove a 3-1 breaking ball to left-center field for the go-ahead, 2-run homer. It was his fourth straight game with a home run.
After the game, the first question was about the decision to hit from the right side against a righty. Albies said he told manager Brian Snitker that he was going to bat righty to handle Harper’s breaking pitches. Snitker didn’t have any objection.
"I told Snit I want to go righty. He said, 'Do whatever you want.'"@Kelly_Crull catches up with @ozzie after he hits the go-ahead homer in a @Braves win over the Nationals. pic.twitter.com/g7yK2x7VYU
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) September 8, 2021
“Do whatever you want,” Snitker apparently said.
And hey, Albies knows how to choose his spots for righty vs. righty matchups. He’s 3 for 9 with 2 home runs and a walk for his career in that scenario. He should consider doing that more often.
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