Dodgers Recap: Yamamoto goes four scoreless as offense pounds Braves to split series

09/16/2024 09:58 PM

Game 150, 9/16/2024: Dodgers 9, Braves 0

ATLANTA, GA — After a shaky start to the four-game wraparound series with the Atlanta Braves, the Los Angeles Dodgers look to settle with a series split after dominating the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning last night with an offensive outburst against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias which saw the Dodgers hit back-to-back-to-back home runs for the second time in two weeks.

The Dodgers would turn to right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who was making his second start since being activated off the 60-day injured list after pitching four solid innings with eight strikeouts against the Chicago Cubs. However, this would be his first start on the road against a Braves team that is desperate for every win as the season winds down to its final few weeks.

For the Braves, they would throw left-handed pitcher Max Fried, who has been clutch for the Braves this season, stepping up along with fellow lefty Chris Sale, giving the Braves much-needed dominance in the absence of staff ace Spencer Strider.

It would be a scoreless game until the top of the third inning after a Miguel Rojas leadoff walk. Rojas would wind up on second after a line drive groundball to Braves first baseman Matt Olson. Then, the veteran thirty-five-year-old would proceed to steal third base and essentially walk home on a passed ball that got by catcher Sean Murphy.

However, despite another walk to Shohei Ohtani, the lefty was able to limit the damage and strikeout Mookie Betts while also keeping the two-way start close to first base with multiple looks as Ohtani inches ever closer to 50/50.

The Atlanta Braves would try and tie things up in the bottom of the third inning after a leadoff single by Braves center fielder Michael Harris, which would bring up slugger Jorge Soler.

Soler drove a ball way over Tommy Edman‘s head but quickly got it into second baseman Enrique Hernandez, who relayed the ball to home plate, gunning down Harris, who was trying to score from first. After all that, it was only the first out of the inning as Yamamoto would get two more ground outs to end the inning, and the Braves would be 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

Things would get hairy for Yamamoto the very next inning as journeyman outfielder Ramón Laureano smacked a ball over Mookie Betts’ head that would cue off the brick wall into no man’s land with a standup leadoff triple.

However, Yamamoto and the Dodgers’ defense would lock in after a strikeout of Murphy, a groundout on the drawn-in infield to Rojas, and a sharp lineout to end the inning with no damage done.

Despite leading for the entire game, the Dodgers only collected their first hit once Tommy Tanks kept his hot bat going with a leadoff double at the top of the fifth inning.

Rojas would continue to torment his old National League East foe, fighting off a fastball and giving the Dodgers a two-run lead. The Dodgers would add two that lead with an Ohtani fielder’s choice scoring Rojas, making it a 3-0 ballgame.

Despite a decent effort by Braves lefty Max Fried, the bullpen would falter as the Dodgers would continue to add on in the seventh inning after a bases-loaded fielders choice scoring Miguel Rojas for the third time today and a sac fly by Mookie Betts, giving the Dodgers a five-run lead. The Dodgers would finish the seventh inning, scoring six runs off the Braves bullpen, capped off by a Freddie Freeman three-run opposite field blast.

Yamamoto was strong in his short four innings of work, which was the expected workload in his second start since being activated off the injured list. Overall, Yamamoto allowed four hits, walked two batters, collected three strikeouts, and got into and out of trouble on more than one occasion.

The Dodgers bullpen was able to shut the door, pitching the next five innings, starting off with an excellent rebound outing by Evan Phillips, Blake Treinen, Daniel Hudson, and Brent Honeywell, as the Dodgers shut out the Atlanta Braves 9-0.

The Dodgers will head to Miami to finish a seven-game road trip before returning home for a six-game final homestand of the 2024 Major League Baseball regular season.

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