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⭐ THE PANEL ON NLCS GAME 1: ATLANTA 11, PITTSBURGH 4
MIKE FRANCESA
“Lemme tell ya somethin’ right now: this game was OVER in the third inning. OVER. Pittsburgh shows up, looks around, realizes it’s October, and forgets how to pitch. You can’t give Atlanta free baserunners, you can’t throw 89 pitches in four innings like Arriaga did—in a playoff game! He looked lost. Completely lost.
And Bobby Nunez? Two home runs? You cannot let a guy who’s been quiet all postseason suddenly become Babe Ruth in Game 1. That’s on the manager, Jose Salas. He even said, ‘It’s on me.’ Good. Because it WAS on him.
Atlanta didn’t even play perfect baseball—Nunez carried ‘em—but Pittsburgh? Embarrassing. They gotta show SOMETHIN’ in Game 2 or this series is gonna be a sweep.”
CHRIS “MAD DOG” RUSSO
“MIKEY, MIKEY, MIKEY! LET ME SAY THIS! ARRIAGA SHOULD’VE BEEN IN THE SHOWER IN THE SECOND INNING! WHAT WAS SALAS WATCHIN’!? HE’S OUT THERE THROWIN’ BATTING PRACTICE, FOR PETE’S SAKE!
THE BRAVES WERE HITTING MISSILES ALL DAY! NUÑEZ! FERNANDEZ! JOSEPH! EVERYBODY!
AND THE PIRATES! ZERO ADJUSTMENTS! NONE! YOU CAN’T LET A TEAM LIKE ATLANTA—TOP TO BOTTOM THE DEEPEST LINEUP IN THE NATIONAL LEAGUE—GET COMFORTABLE!
ELEVEN RUNS IN GAME ONE!? YOU MIGHT AS WELL BOOK THE BRAVES’ HOTEL IN THE WORLD SERIES CITY ALREADY!”
COLIN COWHERD
“So this is classic Pittsburgh. This is what they do. They overachieve, they make you believe, and then the moment they have to go toe-to-toe with a heavyweight? They fold. This is what I call ‘house-money syndrome’—the Pirates are thrilled just to be here. Atlanta? They EXPECT to be here.
And Bobby Nunez? What did I tell you guys? Stars reveal themselves in October, pretenders disappear. Nunez was built for the big stage—he’s smooth, he’s confident, he’s athletic. That three-run homer in the eighth? That’s what CEOs do. They close.
Atlanta’s got something Pittsburgh doesn’t: layers. They can beat you with power, contact, athleticism, defense, bullpen, starting pitching. Pittsburgh? Fun story. But stories don’t win series. Adults do.”
BOB COSTAS
“What struck me wasn’t just the score, but the rhythm of the game. The Braves played with tempo, confidence, and clarity of purpose. You could feel it as early as the second inning. Every good postseason team has that moment where the crowd senses something brewing. Atlanta had that…the Pirates never did.
And for Bobby Nunez, this may be the beginning of his signature postseason. Every era has players who rise in October—Reggie Jackson, David Ortiz, Derek Jeter. I’m not saying Nunez is there yet, but this was the sort of performance that puts you on the map.
Pittsburgh isn’t out of it, but they must rediscover discipline. You can’t leave Sandoval on cruise control for seven innings.”
CHARLES BARKLEY
“Man, listen. The Pirates stunk. That’s it. I don’t know all these analytics Mike be yellin’ about, but I know bad defense and bad pitching when I see it. That boy Arriaga? He was throwin’ MEATBALLS, Kenny! Straight-up MEATBALLS!
And Atlanta—whew! Nunez was hittin’ like Shaq in the paint. Just bullyin’ dudes. And that eighth inning? Pirates quit, man. They quit. I know quitting when I see it. I played with guys who quit!”
(Francesa interrupts: “Charles, Charles, nobody quit—”)
“No, Mike, they QUIT. Eleven to four? That’s a whoopin’. Atlanta look like the only team out there tryin’ to win.”
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