NLCS Gamethread: Game 7, Atlanta vs. Dodgers

Kenley Jansen #74,, Cody Bellinger #35 and Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after winning Game 6 of the NLCS over the Atlanta Braves at Globe Life Field on Oct. 17, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. | Photo by Cooper Neill/MLB Photos via Getty Images

Double 7s: It’s the National League’s turn to play a do-or-die game for the pennant

Wow, say what you want about this bizarro bubble playoffs, and I’m sure give we bowed out in the Wild Card round there are a few expletives to toss out from the South Side, it’s hard to argue with how the league championships have gone. Two Game 7s!

Last night was a fun, tight game, where good vanquished evil. The Tampa Bay Rays are going to their second World Series, and no matter who wins in the NL, will likely have the entire country rooting for the underdog to take its first title.

While Houston’s comeback from the brink (down 3-0 and losing in seven games) failed, the Dodgers may have a better chance to complete their comeback from down 2-0 and 3-1 to Atlanta. After all, L.A. was the best team in baseball in 2020, while the Astros were below .500 during the regular season.

Also, per MLB, of the 17 teams in history to come back to even after going down 3-1 in a series, 13 have won the deciding game and completed the comeback.

Two rookies are starting a Game 7 for the first time in baseball history: Ian Anderson for Atlanta, Dustin May for the Dodgers. May pitched just two days ago, in a short start for the Dodgers, and undoubtedly is only good for a couple of frames tonight.

All the fun tips off on FOX/FS1, 7 p.m. CST.

(And the World Series begins on Tuesday, so there’s only one day to catch your breath before the sprint begins again!)

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Here’s the schedule (best-of-seven, italics below are games “if necessary,” times CST)

Sunday, October 11
ALCS Game 1: Rays 2, Astros 1

Monday, October 12
ALCS Game 2: Rays 4, Astros 2
NLCS Game 1: Atlanta 5, Dodgers 1

Tuesday, October 13
ALCS Game 3: Rays 5, Astros 2
NLCS Game 2: Atlanta 8, Dodgers 7

Wednesday, October 14
ALCS Game 4: Astros 4, Rays 3
NLCS Game 3: Dodgers 15, Atlanta 3

Thursday, October 15
ALCS Game 5: Astros 4, Rays 3
NLCS Game 4: Atlanta 10, Dodgers 2

Friday, October 16
ALCS Game 6: Astros 7, Rays 4
NLCS Game 5: Dodgers 7, Atlanta 3

Saturday, October 17
ALCS Game 7: Rays 4, Astros 2
NLCS Game 6: Dodgers 3, Atlanta 1

Sunday, October 18
NLCS Game 7, Atlanta vs. Dodgers, Arlington, FOX or FS1