Freeman Delivers As Braves Make NLCS Return

It's not exactly a brave new world for Atlanta. After all, they were just there last year. But the Braves are headed back to the familiar National League Championship Series, thanks in large part to some Freddie Freeman heroics. On Tuesday night, the longtime Braves first baseman delivered the go-ahead homer in the 8th to send Milwaukee home and keep Atlanta's title hopes alive.

"That’s so cool. I’m so happy for him to come up in that big moment for us when we needed him the most," said catcher Travis d'Arnaud, per AJC Sports. "He’s been there for us all year."

Atlanta and the visiting Brewers were tied in the 8th inning with two out when Freeman did the unthinkable: he homered off of Josh Hader. The reliever hadn't allowed a home run to a left-handed batter the entire season.

Braves outfielder Eddie Rosario chimed in postgame, saying, "It’s very special to get a hit off Hader.”

Freeman's late-game heroics were rather unusual for the franchise. Per ESPN, that bomb made him the first player in Braves history to hit a go-ahead homer in the eight inning or later in a series-clinching win.

“These are the things that, when I’m done playing -- hopefully a long, long time from now -- I’ll be able to look back and kind of remember this moment. And it’s special," Freeman said following the win. "This is what you dream of when you’re a kid. You really do, hitting a homer to clinch a playoff. And for it to happen, it’s kind of amazing. It really is. So kind of hard to put into words right now.”

The elated Freeman sounded ready to make more memories:

"I had a lot of cool moments in my career, but so far I think that’s going to top them right there. But hopefully that’s not the last cool one.”

Atlanta moves on to face the winner of Giants-Dodgers series for an opportunity to compete in the World Series, which this old world organization hasn't done since 1995.