The Los Angeles Dodgers opened their six-game homestand on Friday night with the start of a weekend series against the Atlanta Braves. Los Angeles took two of three from Atlanta at Turner Field in April, but needed extra winnings to collect both wins.
Kenta Maeda retired the first two batters faced before allowing the Braves the mount a two-out rally. It began on a Freddie Freeman walk, and the first baseman then moved into scoring position on a wild pitch.
Adonis Garcia followed with an RBI single to give the Braves a 1-0 lead before Maeda worked his way out of the inning. Julio Teheran bookended the bottom of the first with strikeouts.
Tyler Flowers led off the second with a single and went first to third base on Teheran’s one-out single. Mallex Smith then lined an RBI base hit up the middle to extend the Braves’ lead to 2-0.
Teheran walked Yasmani Grandal with two outs in the bottom of the second, giving the Dodgers their first baserunner on the night. Nothing came of it as Trayce Thompson flied out to end the inning.
Maeda recorded back-to-back strikeouts en route to retiring the Braves in order in the third. The Dodgers didn’t muster any offense in the bottom half of the inning, picking up his fourth and fifth strikeouts of the game.
A Kelly Johnson one-out base hit in the fourth was erased by Maeda making a catch on Teheran’s sacrifice bunt attempt and throwing to first base to double up Johnson.
CONTINUE READING: Seager has career night at the plate
Corey Seager cut the Dodgers’ deficit in half by leading off the bottom of the fourth with his team-leading 10th home run this season. Ender Inciarte added to Justin Turner’s frustration by making a diving catch to rob him of a base hit.
Teheran then retired the next two batters to end the inning with the Braves still ahead, 2-1. Smith led off the fifth with a single that landed in no man’s land in shallow right-center field.
He stole second base with one out and with two down, Maeda intentionally walked Freeman. Garcia was unable to make the right-hander pay as he struck out swinging to end the inning. Thompson continued with his impressive play this season by hitting a solo home run to right-center field that tied the game.
Maeda retired the Braves in order in the sixth, marking the first time he’d thrown that many innings since his May 6 start. Seager connected for another solo homer in the bottom of the sixth, giving the Dodgers their first lead at 3-2. The multi-home run game was the second of Seager’s career.
Teheran walked Adrian Gonzalez with two outs and was replaced by Ian Krol. Joc Pederson worked a full count but struck out swinging to end the sixth. Despite already being at a season-high 105 pitches, Maeda started the seventh and induced a groundout.
Adam Liberatore then replaced the right-hander and retired the two batters faced. Maeda’s 6.1 innings pitched was his longest outing since April 28. Jim Johnson took over for the Braves in the bottom of the seventh and immediately found himself in a jam.
After Grandal worked a leadoff walk, Thompson swung and Johnson’s first pitch and doubled down the third base line. However, both runners were stranded as Carl Crawford grounded to third, pinch-hitter Scott Van Slyke struck out, and so did Utley.
For Utley, it was his fourth strikeout in the game. Joe Blanton collected two strikeouts as part of a 1-2-3 eighth inning. Seager added to his big night by hitting his third solo home run of the game to give the Dodgers a little breathing room.
Seager’s three-home run game was the first of his career. Kenley Jansen came on in the ninth and shut the door to earn a save in the Dodgers’ 4-2 victory.