September 16 – Mookie Betts walked a single in the ninth inning and struck out seven, including three consecutive home runs, to help the Los Angeles Dodgers preserve a 9–2 win over the host Atlanta Braves on Sunday night.
Atlanta (81-68) is tied with the New York Mets for the National League’s final wild-card spot. Los Angeles (88-61) improved to 4-2 against the Warriors this season.
The rebellion began in the ninth inning against Atlanta closer Razor Iglesias (5-2), who had never had an ERA above 80 in 30 previous games.
Will Smith got off to a great start with a triple. After retiring Andy Page, the Warriors intentionally sent out Shohei Ohtani, who had already hit two doubles. Betts gave the Dodgers their first lead, 3-2, with an RBI single.
Freddie Freeman’s run-scoring single went through left fielder Jarred Kelenic’s glove to tie the game again, making the score 5–2. The Dodgers completed the scoring with homers from Teoscar Hernández, Tommy Edelman, and Max Muncy.
Hernandez’s explosive shot led to a two-run homer, while Edman and Muncy got singles.
Atlanta starter Charlie Morton went six innings, allowing one run on three hits, two walk-offs, and six strikeouts.
Dodgers starter Walker Buehler also went six innings, allowing two runs on three hits (ERA). After a poor start, he allowed five walks and five strikeouts, allowing only one base runner over the final three innings.
Michael Kopech (6-8) pitched a scoreless eighth inning to get the win.
The Braves scored two runs in the third inning on three walks, a catcher’s interference, and an infield single. Matt Olson walked to score the first run and Travis d’Arnaud hit a grounder to second base to score the second run.
The Dodgers fell behind by one run in the fifth inning. Muncy singled and then Ohtani scored on a double.
Los Angeles tied the game 2–2 in the seventh on Ohtani’s another run-scoring double.
——Visual-level media
