The Los Angeles Dodgers are headed back to the National League Championship Series again.
With a 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of the NLDS on Wednesday in Atlanta, the Dodgers closed out the series and punched their ticket to the NLCS for the third straight year. They’ll face the winner of the Milwaukee Brewers-San Diego Padres NLDS, and the Dodgers already know what it looks like to run through Milwaukee after sweeping the Brewers in last year’s NLCS.
This one was tight from the start, with runs coming at a premium all night. Atlanta opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Michael Harris II singled to lead off the inning, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and came home on a wild pitch. That was the Braves’ only run.
The Dodgers answered in the top of the second. Shohei Ohtani worked a leadoff walk, swiped second, reached third on a throwing error and then scored when Braves shortstop Mauricio Dubon committed a fielding error.
After that, both pitching staffs settled things down. Tyler Glasnow ran into trouble in the fifth after walking two batters, and Alex Vesia took over and got Matt Olson to ground out and end the threat.
Atlanta put another runner in scoring position in the sixth when Ozzie Albies opened the inning with a double. Vesia gave way to Edgardo Henriquez after one out, and Henriquez finished off the frame by retiring the final two hitters.
The game finally tilted in the seventh. Teoscar Hernandez singled with one out, Josue De Paula pinch-hit and drew a walk, and Kyle Tucker’s walk loaded the bases. Andy Pages then delivered the big swing, lining a two-run single that gave Los Angeles its first lead of the night.
Dave Roberts didn't want to bench Andy Pages after Game 2 amid his playoff struggles:"I believe in him. I feel that for us to win the World Series this year, we're gonna need him to be an active part of our team."Safe to say Roberts' decision worked. pic.twitter.com/5eZfBAmVPh
The Braves had one last push in the bottom of the seventh after Harris doubled with two outs, but Henriquez got Ronald Acuna Jr. to ground out and keep the Dodgers in front, 3-1.
Tanner Scott handled the eighth and was sharp, mowing through Atlanta’s 3-4-5 hitters in order.
Tanner Scott had a dominant bottom of the eighth inning to retire the Braves' 3-4-5 hitters.He punctuated it with this painted fastball that took the Braves' final ABS challenge.The Dodgers are three outs away from their third straight NLCS. pic.twitter.com/eEgFSYSEVs
Max Muncy added insurance in the ninth with a home run, his 19th postseason blast, to stretch the lead to 4-1.
Max Muncy gave the Dodgers an insurance run.He crushed a home run - the 19th of his postseason career - and Edwin Diaz will now have a three-run lead to protect in the 9th inning.Muncy is so, so good. pic.twitter.com/97lysp3jMR
Edwin Diaz took it from there and finished off the save, sending Los Angeles on to the NLCS.
The championship series begins Sunday, Oct. 11.
If Milwaukee wins its NLDS, Game 1 will be in Milwaukee. If San Diego advances, the opener will be in Los Angeles.
In Other News...
Dodgers Still Have One Huge Shohei Ohtani Problem In October
Shohei Ohtanis October start with the Dodgers has not looked much like the middle of a postseason centerpiece. He has struggled at the plate in recent months, and the National League Division Series against the Braves offered more of the same, with Ohtani hitting .154 and driving in no runs. Even so, the Dodgers advanced to the National League Championship Series, which has bought them time to keep believing the offense from one of baseballs biggest stars will eventually show up when it matters most.
Dave Roberts and Andrew Friedman have both acknowledged the slump, but neither has sounded alarmed about where this could go from here. Their confidence is rooted in Ohtanis track record and the expectation that the bat will come around later in the postseason, which leaves the Dodgers in a familiar October spot: good enough to keep moving, but still waiting on the one player who can change the tone of the lineup in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Fans Have A New October Debate After Beating Atlanta
The Dodgers NLDS win over Atlanta gave fans plenty to dissect, and the conversation quickly turned to who stood out most in October. In a postseason series that featured multiple big performances, Los Angeles supporters weighed a dominant outing from Yoshinobu Yamamoto against the kind of all-around impact that Max Muncy brought with his power at the plate and his work in the field.
Yamamoto emerged as the fan favorite in a poll for NLDS MVP, with Muncy and Freddie Freeman also drawing support. The results say plenty about how Dodgers fans viewed the series: one camp leaned into the significance of Yamamotos Game 3 brilliance, while another saw Muncys three home runs and defensive value as just as central to the advance, setting up a familiar October debate as the club moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Finally Know When Their Brewers Showdown Will Begin
Major League Baseball has set the stage for the 2024 League Championship Series, giving the Dodgers a date and a destination for the next step in October. The National League Championship Series opens Sunday, Oct. 11, and the American League Championship Series follows on Monday, Oct. 12, with the league also laying out the rest of the potential schedule and the broadcast homes for both rounds.
For the Dodgers, the new calendar means the wait is nearly over as they prepare for a trip to Milwaukee and a Brewers team that earned home-field advantage with a huge regular season. The full rhythm of the series is now in place, including possible game dates stretching deeper into the week, but the real answer fans care about is still ahead: how this matchup unfolds once the first pitch arrives. [Read more 🡒]