Braves core shines and comes up huge in order to punch their ticket to the NLDS

It's a huge result for the Braves and one that's made all the sweeter by the fact that this team's core delivered in a big way. Michael Harris II got things going with his homer off of Aaron Nola in the first inning, Ozzie Albies gave the Braves some precious breathing room off of Zack Wheeler in the fourth inning, Matt Olson came up huge with a dinger of his own in the seventh and then Chris Sale took it upon himself to go out and finish things off for the Braves in this one.

Apparently, Walt Weiss was prepared not to ask Chris Sale to go out there on two days rest. That was until he got an unexpected visit from Sale himself earlier in the day.

"I knew that if he was hanging, he would tell me," explained Weiss. "I was not going to bring that up. But literally as soon as I stepped in my office this afternoon, he was sitting in the chair across my desk and he looked at me and he said 'I feel amazing' and I said 'Well, let's talk."