ATLANTA (AP) — As a veteran in his 10th season with the Atlanta Braves, Ozzie Albies has played on seven teams that advanced to the postseason.
After he had the biggest hit in the Braves’ latest comeback win, Albies said only the 2021 World Series championship team compares with this club’s refusal to give up.
Albies hit two homers, including a walk-off, two-run shot in the ninth, as the Braves rallied to on Saturday. It was Atlanta’s 25th comeback win, second in the majors to Arizona’s 26.
“This team is really special,” Albies said. “I’ve been on this team a long time. Really special group each and every year, but this one I would say is in the top two. A special group, a great group of guys.”
Albies had three hits and now is hitting .284 with 12 homers. He is on pace for his best season since 2023, when he hit .280 with 33 homers. The second baseman hit only .240 with 16 homers last season.
First-year manager Walt Weiss says he pays attention when Albies, who has been on the team since 2017, compared the NL East-leading Braves to the championship team of 2021.
“It means a lot,” Weiss said. “That’s coming from a pretty good source. I tend to agree with him. It’s a special group in a lot of ways.”
Weiss said he is especially impressed the Braves have won back-to-back games against the NL Central-leading Brewers after losing six of seven games.
“It speaks volumes of what this group is made of,” Weiss said. “You have to stay away from the long drought. … Even the best teams have tough stretches. I just love the way we’ve responded to our tough stretch.”
Albies capped the comeback with the homer off Brewers left-handed Aaron Ashby. The switch-hitting Albies was swinging from the right side when he lifted the opposite-field shot toward the right-field corner.
“I was just debating if it was going foul,” Albies said. “When I saw it was staying fair, I started running.”
Albies teammates charged out of the dugout to greet him at the plate and start the on-field celebration.
“We’re a team that doesn’t quit,” Albies said. “Today we are really happy, coming back.”
Added left-hander Chris Sale, who gave up two unearned runs in 5 2/3 innings: “This team, we’re never out of it. We always feel like we have a chance and we saw it today.”
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