The Los Angeles Dodgers knocked around Drew Smyly early and rode that lead to a 5-3 win over the Atlanta Braves in the series opener at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers snapped the Braves’ franchise-record 13-game road winning streak.
With the Dodgers coming off a shutout loss and subpar week of hitting, Max Muncy got the team going in the first inning with a solo home run. Will Smith then doubled their lead with his solo blast in the second.
The Dodgers’ trend of hitting a solo home run each inning continued in the third when Mookie Betts took Smyly deep on his bobblehead night. Three batters later Corey Seager crushed a two-run homer that extended the Dodgers’ lead to 5-0.
Although the Braves rallied late, Julio Urias and the Dodgers bullpen buckled down in key moments.
Urias began the night by retiring the first 12 batters faced. He was aided by AJ Pollock laying out for a grab, Justin Turner making a terrific diving stop and Max Muncy completing an over-the-shoulder catch.
.@maxmuncy9 crushes No. 29 of the season. pic.twitter.com/TVTiord2K1
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 31, 2021
AJ Pollock doing it all! 👏 pic.twitter.com/wVnoH0qRnZ
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 31, 2021
Will Smith homer vs. Atlanta memory unlocked. pic.twitter.com/dVP6llKaDX
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 31, 2021
Someone out there tonight got a @mookiebetts bobblehead AND a Mookie HR ball. pic.twitter.com/3FunDa9hPT
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 31, 2021
Seager smash. 💪 pic.twitter.com/wmnuAt1nPH
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 31, 2021
Turner later came up with another stop but Muncy couldn’t dig out the throw and Austin Riley reached on an infield single to lead off the fifth inning. The thought of what could have been was erased when Adam Duvall hit a two-out single.
Urias retired the next batter to strand both runners, but surrendered back-to-back home runs in a shaky sixth inning. It marked his first time pitching that many innings since July 21.
Atlanta collected a third solo home run of the game when Duvall hit one off Phil Bickford in the seventh inning. Blake Treinen completed a four-out save, which included working around consecutive base hits in the ninth inning.
Dodgers inch closer to Giants
After squandering two opportunities when the San Francisco Giants lost to the Braves, the Dodgers picked up a full game in the National League West standings. L.A. now is 1.5 games back of first place and get a final look at the Giants during the regular season this weekend.
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