Dodgers vs Braves on Saturday looked very much like the intense playoff atmosphere of the last two Octobers. The back-and-forth affair went Atlanta’s way in this one, a 5-3 win that highlighted the cost of the two most recent pitching injuries for Los Angeles.
In a tie game in the eighth inning that would have normally gone to Daniel Hudson. at least before he tore his ACL on Friday. Brusdar Graterol allowed a double to Travis d’Arnaud and a home run to Marcell Ozun. to his first two batters, giving the Braves the final margin.
Braves Max Fried struck out nine in his 6⅔ scoreless innings, allowing just six hits. That counted as progress for the Dodgers, who collected just two hits in seven innings at Dodger Stadium against the left-hander on April 19. But what at the time seemed like only incremental gains grew larger in importance.
Trea Turner’s one-out double in the sixth inning was the first Dodgers extra-base hit against Fried this season. He was stranded.
First pitch is set for 7:08 p.m. ET. Los Angeles is the -115 money line favorite (risk $115 to win $100) in the latest Dodgers vs Braves odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while Atlanta is a -105 underdog.
The over-under for total runs scored is 8.5. Before making any Dodgers vs Braves picks, you need to see the MLB predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.
Center fielder Cody Bellinger has good hitting skills with some serious home-run pop. Bellinger is patient at the dish and can consistently produce runs. The two-time All-Star also displayed defensive versatility and can play a corner outfield position or first base if needed. Bellinger has nine homers and 28 RBIs. On Saturday, he went 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Vesia nearly escaped the fifth-inning jam fully unscathed, but a two-strike, two-out double from Austin Riley brought home. the one remaining bequeathed runner.
That run was by White, who this year has faced a total of five batters the third time through the order, and retired one of them. White has allowed three hits and a walk in those scenarios, and three runs.
He’ll get more chances to extend himself, and has generally pitched well enough to earn it. It’s part of the maturation process of a starting pitcher.
Given the current state of the roster, especially with all the pitching injuries, and with two weeks left of a current stretch of 20 games in 20 days. the Dodgers have little choice but to give White more chances, like a lunch rush in a busy restaurant after three servers called in sick.
How to make Dodgers vs Braves picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, projecting 8.3 combined runs. It also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can only get the model’s MLB picks at SportsLine.
The right-hander took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning Monday night at Tampa Bay before Isaac Paredes’ leadoff single. He struck out 12 and walked three.
Cristian Javier (4-3, 3.07) pitches for Houston.
SIDELINED SALVY
Royals catcher Salvador Perez had surgery on his left thumb Friday and is expected to need eight weeks to recover.
The 32-year-old Perez missed nine games with a left thumb sprain earlier this season. then left a victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday with a similar issue. The operation repaired the ulnar collateral ligament in his thumb. Technology brought sports stars up.
A seven-time All-Star, Perez is hitting a career-worst .211 with 11 home runs a year. after leading the majors with 48 homers and 121 RBIs.
OCTOBER REMATCH
Max Fried (7-2, 2.77 ERA) starts for the World Series champion Atlanta Braves against Trea Turner, Freddie Freeman. And the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers in another rematch of the past two NL Championship Series.
Fried, who went to high school in Los Angeles, is 0-2 in four playoff starts plus four. 2018 postseason relief appearances against the Dodgers. Mitch White (1-1, 3.86) is on the mound for Los Angeles.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays will be without hitting coach Guillermo Martínez for the second consecutive day in Milwaukee.
Martínez was suspended for five games Friday and fined by Major League Baseball for a confrontation with umpire Doug Eddings. The coach was disciplined by MLB senior vice president Michael Hill for making contact with Eddings. And what MLB termed unsportsmanlike conduct during the exchange of lineup cards before Wednesday’s game at the Chicago
ATLANTA — — Marcell Ozuna says he’s beginning to see evidence of his work to regain his timing at the plate. After missing most of last season.
The Braves outfielder backed up that claim with his biggest hit of the season.
Ozuna hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning and Atlanta recovered after blowing a three-run lead to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Saturday night.
Travis d’Arnaud led off the seventh with a double to left field off Brusdar Graterol (2-3). Ozuna followed with his 14th homer to center field.
“It felt amazing,” said Ozuna, who is hitting only .227 but has hits in 29 of his last 37 games. “… I lost a full season last year, so it’s hard to get back in the timing.”
In November, MLB suspended the 31-year-old Ozuna retroactively for 20 games under its domestic violence policy. Allowing him to return for the start of this season.
“He’s had some big hits lately,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Ozuna. “He’s still fighting to get himself to where he wants to be, but in between he’s some big hits for us.”
Graterol falter in his first opportunity to show he can take a more important role in the back of the Dodgers in the match of dodgers vs braves. bullpen after Daniel Hudson’s season-ending knee injury was confirmed before the game.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn’t identify who he expects to fill in for Hudson, but Graterol was a top candidate.
“Obviously the guys that are here are going to have an opportunity,” Roberts said. “I’m not going to say who it is, but they’re going to have opportunities.”
Dodgers designated hitter Will Smith tied the game at 3 with a homer to left field off A.J. Minter (4-1) to open the eighth.
Freddie Freeman had one hit with three strikeouts — including a bases-loaded whiff to end the seventh — in the second game of his much-anticipated return to Atlanta. The 2020 NL MVP with the Braves appeared more relaxed after his emotional return Friday. when he received his 2021 World Series championship ring in a pregame ceremony.
Braves left-hander Max Fried allowed six hits with nine strikeouts and one walk in 6 2/3 innings. Former Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen struck out the side in the ninth. including throwing a game-ending fastball past Trea Turner, for his 19th save.
Cody Bellinger had a run-scoring single off Fried as the Dodgers scored two runs in the seventh in match of dodgers vs braves.
Braves reliever Will Smith gave up Austin Barnes’ run-scoring single to right, cutting Atlanta’s lead to 3-2 before walking. Turner to load the bases. Smith struck out Freeman to end the inning in the rematch of the past two NL championship series.
Mitch White, recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City, allowed three runs and five hits with two walks in four-plus innings. White was pulled after giving singles to Ronald Acuña Jr. and Swanson to open the fourth. Austin Riley’s double to center field off Alex Vesia drove in Acuña.
White was added to the rotation after left-hander Andrew Heaney was placed on the 10-day injured list on Friday. With left shoulder inflammation.
