The Atlanta Braves went into the MLB playoffs with their eye on a World Series run. But Game 1 proved they need to keep their eyes on the ground in front of them so they don't trip up in the NLDS first.
The Phillies grabbed a 3-0 lead late in the game while tensions flared in Atlanta in the dugout, in the stands and on Twitter.
It actually started before the game when manager Brian Snitker changed his lineup ahead of the first playoff game. Fans didn't like that one bit.
Then Snitker took out pitcher Spencer Strider despite his fervent protestations in the dugout in the middle of the seventh inning with the Braves down 2-0.
And it turned out Strider was kind of right. He came off the mound and the Phillies went on to load up the bases in the top of the eighth, scoring a third on a dubious catcher-interference call. The Braves were lucky to get out of the inning with only one run scored.
Braves fans lost their minds over Brian Snitker, Spencer Strider and the umpires
Braves fans were furious over the lineup change and frustrated by the pitching decision, but they were so mad about the umpires that they started throwing trash onto the field.
The whole night turned ugly as a certain point, mostly because the Braves seem to realize what a tenuous position they're in.
The pitching staff is beat up, so it was imperative to win with their most healthy and capable pitcher on the mound. A loss puts Atlanta in a hole they may struggle to climb out of.
The most concerning part is that Strider gave the Braves seven innings of pitching that should have resulted in a win if the offense had shown up at all. He gave up five hits and just one earned run with eight strikeouts.
Meanwhile, the Braves batters were shutout with just five hits betweeen them.
