Atlanta @ St. Louis preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 6, 2019 ) Atlanta 3, St. Louis 1

The Atlanta Braves were all but defeated in Game 3 of the National League Division Series and seemed certain to enter Monday’s Game 4 against the host St. Louis Cardinals facing elimination, but Dansby Swanson and Adam Duvall came through to push the team within one win of its first appearance in the NL Championship Series in 18 years. With Atlanta down to its final out on Sunday, Swanson and Duvall delivered back-to-back run-scoring hits as the Braves rallied for a stunning 3-1 victory.

Duvall continued his masterful work in the NLDS by delivering a go-ahead two-run single in the ninth inning to improve to 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs in the series while Swanson, who got the chance to hit after Brian McCann was walked intentionally with two outs in the ninth, capped a three-hit performance with an RBI double that tied the game at 1-1. The Cardinals got 7 2/3 scoreless innings from Adam Wainwright on Sunday, two days after Jack Flaherty allowed three runs - two on Duvall's pinch-hit homer - in Game 2, but lost both games to land on the brink of elimination. Marcell Ozuna continued his strong series at the plate in Game 3, scoring St. Louis' only run and finishing with two of its four hits, and enters Monday 6-for-12 with four RBIs and two runs in the series. Cardinals closer Carlos Martinez has struggled mightily in the series, surrendering six runs on five hits and three walks over 2 1/3 innings after yielding three runs on as many hits and a pair of free passes in one frame while suffering the loss on Sunday.

TV: 3:07 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves TBD vs. Cardinals RH Dakota Hudson (16-7, 3.35 ERA)

Atlanta has not announced who will start Game 4 but have two viable options in left-hander Dallas Keuchel (8-8, 3.75 ERA) and righty Julio Teheran (10-11, 3.81). Keuchel, who was signed in early June and would be making his 11th postseason start (12th appearance), gave up one run on five hits with three walks over 4 2/3 innings in the series opener. Keuchel has allowed 21 runs - 20 earned - in 56 1/3 playoff innings while Teheran, who gave up two of fewer earned runs in 21 of his 33 regular-season starts, was added to the NLDS roster after reliever Chris Martin suffered an injury.

Hudson emerged as an anchor of the Cardinals' rotation while making 32 starts, as he finished tied for third in the NL in victories and 11th in ERA while recording the most wins by a rookie since Justin Verlander registered 17 with Detroit in 2006. The 25-year-old Hudson, who also issued a major league-high 86 walks, closed the regular season by going 6-1 with a 1.86 ERA over his final nine turns while holding opponents to a .146/.268/.264 slash line. Hudson, who went 9-2 with a 2.75 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 17 home starts, allowed two runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision against the Braves at home on May 25.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cardinals 3B Matt Carpenter went 0-for-1 with a sacrifice fly and a walk on Sunday in his first start of the series.

2. Atlanta 3B Josh Donaldson was 1-for-11 in the series before igniting the team's ninth-inning rally in Game 3 with a leadoff double.

3. St. Louis is on the verge of losing for just the fourth time in its last 15 best-of-five playoff series.

PREDICTION: Braves 4, Cardinals 2