The Los Angeles Dodgers were out-hit by the Atlanta Braves but still came away with a 9-4 victory to complete a sweep of the series and extend their winning streak at Dodger Stadium to 10 games.
Having gone through a stretch where he had nothing to show for hard contact, Kiké Hernandez benefitted from a bit of launch angle on a line-drive, two-run home run that gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead in the second inning.
Just as surprising as Hernandez’s ball carrying over the fence was Max Muncy’s moonshot to right-center field in the third inning. The home run was Muncy’s third in the past five games.
Kershaw ran into some trouble in the fourth when Freddie Freeman led off the inning with a double. Ronald Acuña Jr. then followed by lifting an 0-1 curveball the opposite way for a home run that trimmed the Dodgers’ lead to 3-2.
Muncy’s RBI double provided Kershaw with some breathing room, and Mike Foltynewicz’s wild pitch brought in a second run before he could get through the fifth inning. That wound up proving costly as the Braves managed to mount a small rally against Kershaw.
Acuña and Nick Markakis each lifted a fly ball to the warning track in the sixth inning, but it was during the seventh that Atlanta made some headway. After Kershaw recorded a pair of quick outs, Charlie Culberson and Ozzie Albies each reached on an infield single.
Josh Donaldson’s hard-hit grounder got by a diving Corey Seager for an RBI base hit that knocked Kershaw out of the game. Freddie Freeman added to the two-out rally with an RBI single off Scott Alexander, prompting Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to call on Dylan Floro, who managed to end the threat.
After the Braves’ second time intentionally walking Cody Bellinger loaded the bases, Seager’s swinging bunt produced an RBI infield single up the first-base line and Alex Verdugo kept the line moving with a base hit.
Justin Turner’s two-run homer in the eighth inning provided the Dodgers with a lat bit of insurance and allowed Kenley Jansen to stop warming up and take another night of rest. In an encouraging sign for the Dodgers, Joe Kelly worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning to finish out the win.
