The Braves are now one loss from the end of their season after the Dodgers walked out of Atlanta with a 3-1 win in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Tuesday night.
Los Angeles grabbed a 2-1 edge in the best-of-five, and Atlanta’s offense never found enough traction against Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The Dodgers right-hander worked seven innings, gave up just four hits and one run, and struck out 10 as the Braves spent much of the night chasing missed chances.
Atlanta’s biggest problem came early, when six runners were left on base over the first three innings. The Braves had opportunities to strike first but couldn’t cash them in against Yamamoto, who kept the game quiet until Los Angeles finally broke through in the fourth.
That inning turned fast. Kiké Hernández launched a two-run homer, and Freddie Freeman followed with a solo shot to push the Dodgers ahead 3-0.
Chris Sale took the ball for Atlanta after getting extra rest for the start, but he allowed three runs and seven hits over five innings. Sale did manage to get one big early win: he struck out Shohei Ohtani with two runners on in the first inning. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had moved Ohtani down to No. 5 in the lineup because of his history against Sale, including an 0-for-4 night with two strikeouts in their previous meeting on Aug. 26 in Atlanta.
Ohtani still found ways to reach later. He got on via catcher's interference by Drake Baldwin in the third and walked in the eighth.
Atlanta’s lone run came in the fifth. Drake Baldwin grounded into a bases-loaded out that brought home Mauricio Dubón, who had singled earlier in the inning.
The Braves also got a key defensive moment from Dubón in left field, where he made a leaping catch over the wall in the third to take a home run away from Freeman and keep the game scoreless at the time.
The ninth inning gave Atlanta one last chance. Ozzie Albies doubled off the right-center wall against Edwin Díaz and moved to third on Michael Harris II’s groundout. But Díaz shut the door there, getting Dubón to foul out and Mike Yastrzemski to ground out to Mookie Betts to end it.
Now the Braves have to answer on Wednesday night at home in Game 4, where they’ll try to avoid elimination. Tyler Mahle is expected to start for Atlanta against Dodgers right-hander Tyler Glasnow. Mahle said Tuesday that the abdominal pull he dealt with during last week’s Wild Card Series loss to Philadelphia is now a non-issue.
In Other News...
Ronald Acua Jr. Reopened Braves Drama Before A Huge Game 3
Ronald Acua Jr. added a fresh layer of intrigue around the Braves on the eve of Game 3 of the NLDS, using a Spanish-language podcast appearance to share his thoughts on the coaching staff. The comments centered on someone who is no longer with the team, and while Acua and his co-host stopped short of naming the person, the discussion was pointed enough to spark immediate speculation.
For Atlanta, the timing is what makes it stick. With a huge postseason game coming, the remarks have pulled attention back toward a familiar off-field storyline, even though the exact target of Acuas criticism still has not been confirmed. It is the kind of sidelight that can follow a team into October, especially when the baseball itself is about to matter even more. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Had To Change Their NLDS Plan Around Ronald Acua Jr
Ronald Acua Jr. was supposed to be part of the Braves Game 3 NLDS formula in the outfield, but the plan shifted as the series moved on. Lingering knee soreness from a slide in a previous game pushed Atlanta to make a late adjustment, moving Acua to designated hitter and reshaping the rest of the lineup around it.
Sean Murphy was scratched and Lane Thomas was added in right field, while the Braves kept their catching duties aligned behind Chris Sale by leaning on Drake Baldwin. Murphy still remains in the mix as a pinch-hitting option, a reminder that even in October, one nagging issue can force a team to redraw its blueprint on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Braves-Dodgers Game 3 Just Took Two Unexpected Turns
The NL Division Series shifts to Atlanta with the stakes even again, and the broadcast booth is getting an unusual late change before first pitch. Joe Davis will not call Game 3 between the Dodgers and Braves because he lost his voice, so Kenny Albert is stepping in for the national telecast as the series heads to Tuesdays 6:00 ET matchup.
The on-field wrinkle is just as notable for a Braves team trying to seize control at home. Los Angeles is also altering its order, moving Shohei Ohtani into the fifth spot against Chris Sale, a move that adds another layer to a game already carrying plenty of pressure with the series knotted at 1-1. [Read more 🡒]