With 1-0 Lead, Sportsbooks Favor Braves To Sweep Marlins

• Following their Game 1 win over the Miami Marlins, the Atlanta Braves are now at +125 odds to sweep the NLDS series.
• The Braves will look to rookie Ian Anderson to take the mound Wednesday, where they are a -220 favorite to go up 2-0 on the Marlins.

HOUSTON – The NLDS series between the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins heads into the second chapter Wednesday after a strong outing by the Braves in Game 1.

Bettors were high on the Marlins continuing their postseason success, especially with the bookies giving nearly double money on Miami to win via moneyline.

Unfortunately, the bookies had this one pegged, as the Braves overcame an early 4-1 deficit to rally back and win the game 9-5.

Now, prices have adapted for the series. The Braves are now favored to win the series via sweep according to odds available on legal sportsbooks.

Acuna Hit Again

Atlanta started off Game 1 with a rocket launched from the bat of Ronald Acuna Jr., who homered in his first at-bat during the bottom of the 1st inning.

During Acuna’s next at-bat, Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara threw a fastball that slid inside, plunking Acuna in the hip.

Acuna has a rather sour history with the Marlins that dates back multiple seasons and usually involves Acuna hitting a home run, and then getting hit by a pitch, or vice-versa. Acuna has now been hit five times over 206 plate appearances against the Marlins.

While it definitely appeared that Alcantara’s wayward ball wasn’t intentional, Acuna took his time meandering to first base, exchanging words with Alcantara as well as the Miami dugout.

Tempers flare in Houston after Ronald Acuña Jr. was HBP in his first AB after hitting a home run: pic.twitter.com/R3dWJLeXa1

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 6, 2020

The incident was ultimately destructive for the Marlins, as Acuna would reach home following that walk as the Braves brought in two runs to shorten the Miami lead to just one. The score would stay that way until the bottom of the seventh when Atlanta unleashed a six-run inning behind a 3-run home run from Travis d’Arnaud.

The drama could have ended there, but after the game, Sandy Alcantara needless decided to double down against Acuna in his post-game interview. Alcantara was dismissing the event, until stating “If he’s down to fight, I’m down to fight too.”

I don’t think Acuna was hit intentionally, but those aren’t exactly the words you use if you didn’t do something on purpose.

pic.twitter.com/E3sKi6hBce

— Colin Hubbard (@ColinHubbard22) October 6, 2020

Ronald Acuna Jr. isn’t exactly the type to hide his emotions on the field, so this will make for very interesting entertainment when he steps into the batter’s box in Game 2 on Wednesday.

It is rarely a good idea to give a fiery player like Acuna any more motivation, which could be the reason for the baseball moneyline rapidly falling in favor of the Braves.

The Braves will send out rookie Ian Anderson to pitch, who handled his playoff debut well in a win against the Cincinnati Reds last week. Anderson pitched six innings against the Reds, with two hits, two walks, and zero earned runs.

He will face off against Pablo Lopez for the Marlins, who has a 3.61 ERA over 57 IP this season.

Bettors will be sure to tune into this one to see the drama play out on the biggest stage.