Atlanta Braves fans who didn’t stay up to watch their team go toe-to-toe with World Series favorite the Los Angeles Dodgers in the late hours Sunday night woke up disappointed that their favorite team failed to accomplish a feat they haven’t done in more than 20 years – advance to the Fall Classic.

A late home run by reigning National League MVP Cody Bellinger lifted the Dodgers to a 4-3 victory and a spot in this week’s World Series.

Fans should be disappointed but not disgusted at the valiant effort their team gave all week. Disregarding the fiasco that was the first inning of game 3, the Braves were in every other game. If not for two baserunning blunders in the series – one by Marcell Ozuna in game 5 last Friday and the other by Dansby Swanson and Austin Riley in a double play at home and third base in game 7 – maybe the series turns out differently.

But sometimes you have to tip your cap to the better team and better players. There is a reason the Dodgers paid outfielder Mookie Betts to a $365 million extension, because he is worth every penny. He robbed Freddie Freeman of a home run Sunday night. He also robbed Ozuna of at least a double against the wall in game 6. Betts was also responsible for the catch just off the ground that doubled Ozuna off of third base in game 5.

Corey Seager was red hot the whole series with five homers and 11 RBIs in the No. 2 position. Braves pitchers; starters or relievers, lefties or righties, simply had no answers for the shortstop.

The NLCS did have its memorable moments for Atlanta Braves fans, too. Who will forget Austin Riley’s go-ahead homer in game one in the ninth inning? Or how about the blast that Ozzie Albies followed that landed in the glove of reliever Mark Melancon in the bullpen? And who would have thought the two would duplicate the scenario in game two when Melancon snagged another Albies homer in the ninth inning for the second straight night?

The most impressive performance may have come via a Brave who appeared in only one game. Starting pitcher Bryse Wilson delivered a start for the ages in game 4. He pitched six innings and allowed just one run on one hit with five strikeouts. He outdueled Clayton Kershaw, the greatest pitcher of his generation. All of that followed the Dodgers’ 15-3 thrashing of the Braves in game 3. So, it would have been easy for Wilson to look overmatched against a lineup that put up an 11-spot in the first inning the night before, which started against fellow rookie Kyle Wright.

But he wasn’t. Wilson displayed a football-like mentality in attacking the Dodgers’ hitters and was successful. His performance saved the Braves’ bullpen for the rest of the series, which included a bullpen game in game 5.

The Braves had their opportunities to put the Dodgers away at several points in the series. But the more seasoned, more experienced and more talented team prevailed. Not to say that would happen again this time next year. But sometimes you have to tip your cap to the other team.