Los Angeles are now 7-1 in Postseason Game 1s dating back to 2024. Their only loss was in last year's World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Starting pitcher Tarik Skubal gave up one run on two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts through six innings in his first Postseason start with the Dodgers. Veteran lefty Blake Snell will take the mound in Game 2, while reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start Game 3.
The Dodgers finished with eight hits to the Braves' four - the fewest they've hit this Postseason so far - their quest for a three-peat begins.
Recap
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher, but usual reliever, Dylan Dodd was taken out after the first three innings, despite giving up just two hits and no walks with four strikeouts. And it came back to bite them.
After both teams went scoreless through the first three innings with a combined three hits (ATL - 1, LAD - 2), it was Teoscar Hernandez who got the Dodgers on the board first with a two-run shot in the fourth off Victor Mederos.
The home run marked Hernandez's 11th career Postseason home run. It kept his big streak alive as he has now homered in nine straight Postseason series.
Skubal began to heat up heading into of the sixth inning. He had retired 15 straight batters after giving up a single to Drake Baldwin in the first at-bat of the game, including striking out the side during the top of the third.
However, Atlanta's Sean Murphy cooled him off with a solo shot to pull the Braves within one. It marked his third career Postseason home run and his first since 2020 when he was on the Athletics.
The Braves had their first runner in scoring position since the first inning during the top of the sixth. With two outs, Braves' star slugger Matt Olson stepped into the box. But with a 2-2 count, Skubal got Olson to pop up to avoid any further damage.
And the Braves soon regretted not being able to take advantage of the situation when they should've.
In the bottom half of the sixth, Kyle Tucker launched his 10th career Postseason home to give the Dodgers a 4-1 lead.
Shortly after, Max Muncy smacked the Dodgers' third home run of the game to put the team up 5-1. It marked the 17th of his Postseason career, the most by any Dodgers player in franchise history.
Muncy hit three last Postseason, including two in the World Series.
The Braves started to rally in the top of the ninth inning after Ronald Acuna Jr. got on base before teammate Ozzie Albies smacked a shot to deep center off Tanner Scott to make it a 5-3 game.
It marked his fifth career Postseason home run and his second in these playoffs alone.
Things started to get nerve-wracking for the Dodgers' faithful. The team brought in closer Evan Phillips to close things out, but he walked Mauricio Dubon on a 3-2 count with two outs before Dubon stole second.
However, Phillips would eventually get Austin Riley to ground out for the final out to take Game 1.
Game 2 will take place on October 4th at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.
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