Atlanta Braves starter Max Fried struggled in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies and he didn't make any excuses when discussing his performance after the loss. Fried got brutally honest on his struggles in Game 1, admitting that he dug the Braves into a hole they couldn't climb out of after failing to get the job done on the mound. Via Bally Sports Braves, Fried lamented his performance and shouldered the blame for the 0-1 deficit Atlanta faces against the rival Phillies.

“I'm not going to make any excuses. I took the ball today and put us in a big hole right away,” said Fried. “They came out swinging and had a really good approach, and frankly, I just didn't do my job today. The guys were counting on me to go out there and have a good start and keep it a close game, and I just let it get away too quick.”

Fried said that the main factor in his struggles was his inability to put batters away, particularly in two-strike counts. The left-hander pitched just 3.1 innings in Game 1, surrendering eight hits, four earned runs, and one walk while striking out two. He was relieved by Jesse Chavez in the fourth inning, who went 1.1 innings while letting up one run.

The Braves used five pitchers in total, including Fried, Chavez, Dylan Lee, Collin McHugh, and Jackson Stephens.

Kyle Wright will be on the mound in Game 2, hoping to turn things around and knot this series up at one win apiece after Max Fried's disappointing outing.