The Los Angeles Dodgers saw their nine-game winning streak and MLB-record stretch of 53 consecutive wins in games they held a lead both snapped in a 5-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night. Ultimately, a walk with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning spelled doom.
Tyler Flowers connected on a hanging slider from Pedro Baez for a go-ahead, two-run home run. The pinch-hit homer was the first of Flowers’ career. The Dodgers bullpen had lived dangerously up to that point.
Luis Avilan issued back-to-back walks with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, though got out of trouble on a terrific play by Logan Forsythe.
He made a diving stop on a ball that deflected off Avilan, and threw home to nab Freddie Freeman on his attempt to score from second base. That kept the game locked in a 3-3 tie.
Cody Bellinger’s string of being named National League Rookie of the Month was snapped at two on Wednesday, but it hardly made a difference as his solo home run gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
The home run was Bellinger’s 30th this season, which leads the team and is second in the National League. He became the first Dodgers player to reach 30 home runs in a single season since Matt Kemp slugged 39 homers in 2011.
The Dodgers’ lead was short lived, however, as Brock Stewart issued a walk and followed it by allowing a go-ahead, two-run home run to Danny Santana in the bottom half of the second.
Stewart issued a second walk in the inning, and Johan Camargo singled, but both runners were stranded. Chris Taylor manufactured the tying run for the Dodgers after he was hit by a pitch to start the fourth inning.
Taylor stole second base and tagged on Bellinger’s fly ball to right field. Freeman made a diving stop on Joc Pederson’s grounder and had thoughts of throwing home but settled for an out at first base.
Yasiel Puig’s double in the fifth inning was cashed in by Chase Utley, who slapped a go-ahead RBI single into left field. But, once again, the Dodgers’ slim lead did not hold. Freeman’s two-out, RBI single off Ross Stripling in the bottom of the fifth pulled the Braves even.
Julio Teheran was removed after five innings due to cramping in his right thigh. While Teheran allowed his 27th home run of the season, which is tied for the MLB lead, he otherwise fared relatively well. Teheran finished with four strikeouts against zero walks.
Jim Johnson walked Logan Forsythe to start the seventh and Yasmani Grandal singled to put two on with nobody out. Johnson retired next two batters, then gave way to Rex Brothers who struck out pinch-hitter Kiké Hernandez.
The Dodgers didn’t manage a baserunner over the final two innings. They are now 20-3 since July 4, with all three losses coming to the Braves. What’s more, the Dodgers’ quest to match or surpass their 42-8 stretch from the 2013 season took a hit, as they are now 40-7.
