The Braves walked into Game 2 of the NLDS knowing the margin for error was basically gone. Dropping into a 2-0 hole against a Dodgers club that strong would have made the climb feel nearly impossible, which is why plenty of people were already taking manager Walt Weiss to task for not starting Chris Sale.
Instead, Atlanta’s bullpen delivered the kind of performance that can flip a series. Ray Kerr and Didier Fuentes each turned in playoff outings for the ages, and the Braves hung around long enough to turn a tight game into a late-night gut punch for the home crowd.
Blake Snell wasn’t at his sharpest, but he did enough to keep the Braves’ offense in check and help keep the game tense all the way through. Still, the bigger scene unfolded in the stands, where Dodgers fans were already making for the exits before the final outcome was settled.
Dodgers fans heading for the gates after eighth inning. pic.twitter.com/MSbrA4S9Uw
- Ken Sugiura (@ksugiuraajc) October 5, 2026
That early stream of fans toward the gates stood out because this wasn’t some blowout in April. It was a playoff game, and by the eighth inning the score was still close enough that the Braves were very much alive. The final margin ended up being just one run.
The sight naturally invites the kind of double standard that follows the Braves around. Atlanta drew criticism just last week for crowd sizes during daytime playoff games in the middle of the work week, even though MLB’s scheduling played a big role there.
Even local Atlanta columnists have pushed misleading information about Braves crowds before in search of clicks. Yet when Dodgers fans head for the exits during a tight postseason game, that gets treated differently.
Now the series shifts back to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4, both of them night games. Braves fans should show up in force. Whether anyone outside Atlanta gives that the same attention is another matter.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Faces A Brutal Duke Test Brent Key Cant Dodge
A bye week can help a team reset, but it also has a way of exposing where the problems really are. Georgia Tech is coming out of its break with Duke next on the schedule and a chance to pick up a second win of the season, yet the timing comes with plenty of concern. The Yellow Jackets have been dealing with injuries, including the loss of starting cornerback Daiquan White, and the defense has not given the staff many easy answers.
Brent Key has already made clear there is no interest in pretending the issues are minor. Georgia Tech has struggled against both the run and the pass, and the head coach has pointed to the need for changes and improvement as the Jackets head into a difficult matchup. For a team trying to get back on track, Duke is not the kind of test that lets those flaws stay hidden for long. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Faces A Defining Test Coming Out Of The Bye
Georgia Tech comes out of its bye week with a real measuring-stick moment on deck, as undefeated Duke visits for an ACC game that will say plenty about where the Yellow Jackets stand right now. Bill Connellys SP+ model at ESPN gives the Blue Devils a 70% chance to win and projects a 31-23 score, which underscores the gap Georgia Tech has to close if it wants to turn a difficult start into something more manageable.
The bye week gives Georgia Tech a chance to reset, but the bigger issue has been consistency and leadership, both of which have been identified as essential if the Jackets are going to improve. Hosting a ranked-quality ACC opponent with no room for a slow start, they now have a chance to show whether the break helped them find a clearer direction or simply delayed a tough reality. [Read more 🡒]
Karen Blair Is Betting On One Edge For Georgia Techs Next Step
Karen Blair arrived at ACC tipoff with the kind of calm confidence that usually comes from continuity, and Georgia Tech has a little of that heading into the new season. The Yellow Jackets bring back seven players from last years roster, and Blair was joined by La'Nya Foster and Talayah Walker in talking through a program that is leaning hard into chemistry as it prepares for its next step.
Blair also pointed to the homecourt advantage Georgia Tech built last season, a reminder that the Yellow Jackets want their arena to feel like more than just a venue on game night. The push now is to deepen that connection even further, with the program making a bigger effort to engage the community and the fan base as it looks to turn familiarity and energy into results. [Read more 🡒]